Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to compare climacteric symptomatology and sociodemographic conditions and their effect on quality of life in two populations: Monterrey (Mexico) and Madrid (Spain).
Methods
469 women from Monterrey (mean age 50.5 + 4.3 years) and 452 (mean age 51.7 + 3.7 years) from Madrid participated in the study. Descriptive analyses of sociodemographic and clinics characteristics of the sample were performed. A cross-sectional design and a regression analysis were performed to establish the sociodemographic and clinical variables that would be used as predictors of quality of life. Data was collected using the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life, MENQOL, the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Quality of Life Scale for Women Aged From 45 to 64 (QLS), and a sociodemographic and clinical interview designed ad hoc.
Results
Approximately 60% of both Spanish and Mexican women present symptoms during climacteric that impairs their quality of life. Spanish women suffer more intense symptoms and for a longer period of time than Mexican women, with the exception of anxiety. Mexican women report better quality of life than Spanish women and it is moderated by educational, socioeconomical, and marital status. Women’s knowledge about menopause is also related to a better quality of life.
Conclusions
Our study confirms the differences in climacteric symptomatology between populations and the impact of educational level and knowledge about menopause as predictors of a better quality of life in climacteric women.
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The study meets the requirements of Declaration of Helsinki. All participants were volunteers and were informed about the objective of the study, anonymity of the data and about the possibility of leaving the study. All women signed an informed consent.Approval was obtained from the Research Ethic Committee of the Vice-President Office for Health Sciences (Universidad de Monterrey; Ref.: 332016-CIE) and Faculty of Psychology (Universidad Complutense de Madrid).
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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the Research Ethic Committee of the Vice-President Office for Health Sciences (Universidad de Monterrey; Ref.: 332016-CIE) and Faculty of Psychology (Universidad Complutense de Madrid) and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.”
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Larroy, C., Quiroga-Garza, A., González-Castro, P.J. et al. Symptomatology and quality of life between two populations of climacteric women. Arch Womens Ment Health 23, 517–525 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-019-01005-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-019-01005-y