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Symptomatology of menopause among suburban Nigerian women
Abstract
Background: It is believed that the perception and attitude of women to menopause are strongly influenced by several variables which are largely social, cultural, and economic and may reflect in the differences in the mode of treatment. The objective of this study is to determine the age of attainment of menopause and the perception of the symptomatology of menopause among Nigerian women of different backgrounds.
Materials and Methods: Information was obtained with the aid of a structured questionnaire from 543 women who had attained natural menopause. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21. Data analysis was descriptive and inferential at 95% confidence interval, and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: The mean menopausal age was 49.1 ± 4.54 years. The commonest early symptom of menopause was hot flushes (45.8%). The commonest late symptom of menopause was pain in the joints (57%). A majority of the women (82.4%) did not think that any of the symptoms may have been associated with cessation of their menses. However, the better educated the women were, the more knowledgeable they were about the symptoms of menopause P < 0.01.
Conclusion: The age at which Nigerian women attain menopause is comparable to that of other populations. The manifestation of menopausal symptoms in our women may constitute a significant health burden and it is imperative that healthcare providers should be knowledgeable about the manner in which these groups of women perceive menopausal symptoms. Education improves perception and may be the link to promoting better health‑seeking behavior among menopausal women.
Keywords: Menopause; suburban; symptomatology
