Women's perception and experience of menopause: a community-based study in Alexandria, Egypt

East Mediterr Health J. 2006:12 Suppl 2:S93-106.

Abstract

To determine symptoms, perceptions and practices after natural menopause by women aged 50-59 years, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 450 women from Alexandria. The most frequently recalled symptoms were tiredness (96.0%), headache (95.1%), hot flushes (90.7%), skin wrinkles (90.7%) and decreased sexual desire (89.1%). About 91% of women had never heard about hormone replacement therapy; 42.7% would expose their body to the sun; 12.4% were moderately active the year before menopause. Multiple regression analysis indicated that women's knowledge about menopause was related to marital status, education and employment status; practices were related to pattern of menopause, age of menopause and income.

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Attitude to Health / ethnology*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Educational Status
  • Egypt
  • Employment
  • Estrogen Replacement Therapy
  • Factor Analysis, Statistical
  • Fatigue / etiology
  • Female
  • Focus Groups
  • Headache / etiology
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Humans
  • Income
  • Marital Status
  • Menopause* / ethnology
  • Menopause* / physiology
  • Middle Aged
  • Qualitative Research
  • Regression Analysis
  • Self Care / methods
  • Self Care / psychology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Urination Disorders / etiology
  • Women / education
  • Women / psychology*