Quality of Life among Menopausal Women Residing in Dharan Sub-metropolitan City, Nepal

Introduction: Menopause poses a big challenge during middle age and to the healthy aging of woman. Majority of women face various problems and disturbances in daily living leading to decrease in quality of life.

Aims: This study aims to assess the quality of life in relation to the menopausal symptoms among menopausal women.

Study Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at seven randomly selected wards of Dharan Sub-metropolitan City of Nepal over a period of four weeks.

Methodology: Two hundred menopausal women (40-60 years old) residing in Dharan Sub metropolitan city were selected through purposive sampling technique. Semi-structured questionnaire was used for recording demographic variables and menopause specific quality of life (MENQOL) questionnaire were used to collect data regarding menopausal symptoms and quality of life. Interview technique was adapted. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to interpret data.

Results: Mean menopausal age of the study group was 47.14 years. The most common symptoms of vasomotor, psychosocial, physical and sexual domains were hot flushes, experiencing poor memory, feeling tired or worn out and change in sexual desire respectively. The overall score of menopausal quality of life for each domain reported that highest the mean score in sexual domain (3.58 ± 1.62) and least score in vasomotor domain (2.08 ± 1.67). The score of physical domains was significantly high in late postmenopausal group than early postmenopausal group. Significant association was obtained with age, ethnicity, menopause status, physical activity and marital status in relation to the domains of quality of life

Conclusion: All the menopausal women were having at least one menopausal symptom from each domain. The women scored highest in sexual domain and least in vasomotor domain suggesting decrease quality of life in relation to sexual domain. Menopausal symptoms were associated with decrease in quality of life in all domains.