The impact and management of symptoms experienced at midlife: a community-based study of women in northeast Scotland

• Published in: BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology 2012-04, Vol.119 (5), p.554-564
• Main Authors: Duffy, OK, Iversen, L, Hannaford, PC
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Affective Symptoms - epidemiology; Affective Symptoms - psychology; Affective Symptoms - therapy; Attitude to Health; Biological and medical sciences; Community; Cross-Sectional Studies; Fatigue - epidemiology; Fatigue - psychology; Fatigue - therapy; Female; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Hot Flashes - epidemiology; Hot Flashes - psychology; Hot Flashes - therapy; hot flushes; Humans; management; Medical sciences; Medical treatment; Menopause; Menopause - psychology; Middle Aged; Musculoskeletal Pain - epidemiology; Musculoskeletal Pain - psychology; Musculoskeletal Pain - therapy; night sweats; Patient Education as Topic; Patient Satisfaction; Prevalence; Quality of Life; Scotland - epidemiology; Sleep Wake Disorders - epidemiology; Sleep Wake Disorders - psychology; Sleep Wake Disorders - therapy; Sweating - physiology; Urination Disorders - epidemiology; Urination Disorders - psychology; Urination Disorders - therapy; Vaginal Diseases - epidemiology; Vaginal Diseases - psychology; Vaginal Diseases - therapy; vaginal dryness; Womens health
• ISSN: 1470-0328; 1471-0528
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2012.03276.x

Please cite this paper as: Duffy O, Iversen L, Hannaford P. The impact and management of symptoms experienced at midlife: a community‐based study of women in northeast Scotland. BJOG 2012;119:554–564. Objectives  To determine the frequency and management of menopausal symptoms among community‐dwelling women. Design  Cross‐sectional study. Setting  Northeast Scotland. Population  Women aged 45–54 years registered with 16 general practices. Methods  In 2009, a self‐completed questionnaire enquiring about the frequency, associated level of bothersomeness and management of 23 symptoms experienced during the previous month was sent to 8206 women. Main outcome measures  The proportion (95% CI) of women reporting each symptom and management strategy. Results  Hot flushes, night sweats and vaginal dryness were reported by 46.7% (95% CI 45.2–48.2), 46.4% (95% CI 44.9–47.9) and 28.2% (95% CI 26.9–29.6) of women, respectively. Two‐fifths of women rated these symptoms as quite bothersome or extremely bothersome. More than 60% managed menopausal symptoms using social support by talking to friends and family. Avoidance or alleviating options were common. Herbal remedies were more commonly used than prescription drugs. Current hormone replacement therapy use was highest among surgically menopausal women (21%); 8% of postmenopausal and