THRIVING BEYOND CHANGE: FREQUENCY, SEVERITY, AND ASSOCIATION OF SYMPTOMS WITH CLINICO-DEMOGRAPHICS OF POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN OF KECH, TURBAT.

JPUMHS;2024:14:03,3-11.http://doi.org/10.46536/jpumhs/2024/14.03.528

Abstract

BACKGROUND: For women, the menopause is a normal and significant life transition, but
it's also commonly linked to stigmas and misconceptions. The major health problems that
postmenopausal women encounter were to be identified, along with the knowledge, attitudes,
and practices surrounding seeking medical attention for these problems, as well as the
utilization pattern and any barriers to using these services. OBJECTIVE: To assess the
knowledge, attitudes, practices, and healthcare seeking behavior of postmenopausal women
regarding menopausal symptoms and associated health issues. METHODS: From March
2023 to March 2024, a cross-sectional study was carried out at the Turbat Teaching Hospital
at KECH at the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Following the acquisition of
written informed consent, all postmenopausal women visiting the OPD were chosen one after
the other. A pre-made survey was employed to assess the behavior of individuals seeking
medical attention. In tables and graphs, the results were presented as percentages and
frequencies. Where appropriate, the logistic regression analysis and chi-square test were
used. A significance level of p ≤ 0.05 was deemed to exist. RESULTS: Participants in the
study ranged in age from 40 to 80 years old, with a mean age of 61.47±8.28. 188 (29.1%)
were from rural areas and 130 (40.9%) were residents from rural. Maximum patients were
rom nuclear families who stays away from relatives 212 (66.7%) who smokes hookah 148
(46.5%) and eats gutka 12 (3.8%). Post-menopausal women had variety of symptoms to
report as in current 270 (84.9%) of the women presented with joint pain and stiffness
followed by vaginal dryness 262 (74.2%) and hair changes 258 (81.1%). Table: 01. While
looking towards the attributes 246 (77.4%) of the women know or they heard about the
process and physiology of menopause and they were aware about the process among them
172 (54.1%) felt comfortable to discuss the phenomenon and its related issues with their
friends, fellows or peers. Majority of the participants were not taking the menopause as
disease happened at old ages 238 (74.8%) while 228 (71.7%) thought that it makes women
fat.CONCLUSION: Women around the world experience menopause differently due to a
range of biological, psychological, social, and cultural factors that affect their views, values,
and attitudes around menopause. The present study clearly shows that postmenopausal
symptoms and other gynecological problems are very common in our study setting. Joint
stiffness and pain were the most common menopausal symptoms in our study group, followed
by vaginal dryness and irritation. Women from both urban and rural locations did not see
menopause as an illness and had never thought to seek help from quacks or traditional healers
when the characteristics were compared to the race.