Menopausal Symptoms and Depression Among Midlife Women

Article information

Res Community Public Health Nurs. 2010;21(4):429-438

Publication date (electronic) : 2014 April 04

doi : https://doi.org/10.12799/jkachn.2010.21.4.429

¹Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing, Daegu Haany University, Korea.

²Associate Professor, Department of Nursing, Sunmoon University, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Kim, Chunmi, Department of Nursing, Sunmoon University, tangjeong-myeon, Asan-si, Chungnam 336-708, Korea. Tel: 82-41-530-2757, Fax: 82-41-530-2767, cmchoi@chollian.net

Received 2010 November 08; Revised 2010 December 06; Accepted 2010 December 07.

Abstract

Purpose

This study was descriptive survey research to examine the factors affecting menopause, depression and menopausal symptoms, and the relations among these factors in South Korean midlife women.

Methods

The subjects were 319 midlife women in Daegu City. Measures were Zung's Self-Report Depression Scale (1979) to check depression, and the Midlife Women's Symptom Index developed by Im (2006) to check menopausal symptoms. Data were collected from June 1 to July 31, 2010. Collected data were analyzed by mean, standard deviation, and Pearson's correlation coefficient through SPSS/WIN 18.0.

Results

There was a statistically significant correlation between depression and menopausal symptoms (r=.692, p<.001). The factors affecting depression were age (r=.194, p<.001), income (r=-.307, p<.001), exercise (r=-.602, p<.001), and menopausal status (r=.224, p<.001). The factors affecting menopausal symptoms were exercise (r=-.158, p<.037), menstrual pain (r=-.171, p=.004) and menopausal status (r=.222, p<.001).

Conclusion

Intervention programs for decreasing menopausal symptoms in midlife women should be focused on relieving menopausal pain and encouraging excise from youth. Further studies will be needed to examine the relations among other factors including living style, area and menopausal symptoms.

Keywords: Woman; Menopause; Depression

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