| Summary: | 碩士 === 臺北醫學大學 === 護理學研究所 === 95 === This study was a cross-sectional, descriptive study. Research aims were: (a) investigating women’s menopause symptoms and quality of life (QOL), (b) exploring relationships between women’s individual characteristics, menopause symptoms and QOL, and (c) identifying possible predictors of women’s QOL among a sample of women 45-60 years of age. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information about women’s individual characteristics, menopause symptoms, lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and QOL. Sample of this study were 138 women 45-60 years of age who visited the gynecology/obstetrics clinic in a medical center and currently experienced one or more than one menopause symptom(s).
The mean age of menopause was 50.35±3.27 years for the women in this study. Mean value of the menopause symptoms was 19.50±10.00 (range = 0-63); feeling tired or lacking in energy, loss of interest in sex, muscle and joint pains, difficulty in sleeping, and difficulty in concentrating were the five menopause symptoms that women were more likely to experience. About 82% women experienced one or more than one LUTS, the mean value of LUTS was 1.93±1.79 (range = 0-9). The mean value of QOL (range = 0-100) measured by the SF-36 questionnaire in eight domains were: physical functioning 78.09±17.16, role limitations due to physical problems 58.15±43.05, bodily pain 66.67±23.23, general health perceptions 58.33±19.94, vitality 54.16±19.50, social functioning 76.53±21.27, role limitations due to emotional problems 69.08±39.18, and mental health 61.01±18.78. Spouse, religion, occupation, chronic disease(s), and hormone treatment were significantly related to women’s QOL in several domains. Menopause symptom(s) and LUTS were significantly related to women’s QOL at eight domains. Women who experienced severer menopause symptoms or LUTS reported lower QOL. Menopause somatic symptom(s) were a significant predictor of physical functioning QOL; hormone treatment and menopause somatic symptom(s) were significant predictors of bodily pain QOL. General health QOL was associated with chronic disease(s), menopause psychological symptom(s) and LUTS; vitality QOL was associated with menopause psychological symptom(s). Menopause psychological and somatic symptom(s) were related to social functioning QOL; menopause psychological symptom(s) was related to mental health QOL.
Study results demonstrated that menopause psychological and somatic symptom(s) were related to women’s QOL in six domains. Health care providers and health-related policy decision makers should pay attention to these important predictors and generate related strategies or interventions. Counseling services or related exercise/diet treatments can be provided to this population to improve their menopause symptom(s) and QOL.
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