Rural residence and health-related quality of life in a sample of Spain perimenopausal women

Figures & data

Table 1. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the sample.

	Rural n = 135	Urban n = 135
Age (years)	49.2 (±2.4)	48.8 (±2.4)	T test = 1.391
			p = 0.165
BMI	26.1 (±3.9)	25.4 (±4.6)	T test = 1.106
			p = 0.270
Physical activity:
Yes	59.3%	60.0%	Chi square = 0.015
No	40.7%	40.0%	p = 0.901
Non-Smoker	75.6%	71.1%	Chi square = 0.682
Smoker	24.4%	28.9%	p = 0.409
Not alcohol consumer	68.1%	47.4%	Chi square = 11.903
Alcohol consumer	31.9%	52.6%	p = 0. 001
Education level:
Secondary or higher education	85.2%	89.6%	Chi square = 1.211
Primary	14.8%	10.4%	p = 0.271
Employment status:
Employed	85.2%	90.4%	Chi square = 1.692
Unemployed	14.8%	9.6%	p = 0.193
Annual income
≥30.000 Euros	57.0%	65.9%	Chi square = 2.252
<30.000 Euros	43.0%	34.1%	p = 0.133
Do not live alone	90.4%	88.2%	Chi square = 0.348
Live alone	9.6%	11.8%	p = 0.555
Sexual activity:
Yes	96.3%	87.4%	Chi square = 7.126
No	3.7%	12.6%	p = 0.008
Not depressed (BDI2)	71.9%	74.1%	Chi square = 0.169
Some depression level (BDI2)	28.1%	25.9%	p = 0.681

Means (standard deviation) and percentage of women (%) in the two population groups. Student’s t-test, and Chi-square test.

Table 2. Health-related quality of life according to the short cervantes scale administered to women living in rural and urban areas.

	Rural n = 135	Urban n = 135
Total score	33.2 (±16.2)	26.4 (±18.1)	Wt = 11,464 p < 0.001
Menopause and health	40,7 (±22,8)	27,7 (±21,4)	Wt = 15,324 p < 0.001
Vasomotor	49.5 (±34.0)	32.0 (±33.1)	Wt = 15,654 p < 0.001
Health	37.0 (±24.8)	27.5 (±24.8)	Wt = 16,187 p = 0.001
Ageing	35.7 (±25.6)	23.8 (±20.9)	Wt = 15,799 p < 0.001
Psychological	37.4 (±28.5)	25.05 (±25.1)	Wt = 15,926 p < 0.001
Sexuality	37.3 (±25.5)	32.1 (±26.6)	Wt = 17,053 p = 0.051
Partner relationships	27.3 (±35.4)	33.2 (±39.5)	Wt = 18,092 p = 0.746

Scores obtained on the various domains and subdomains of the C-SF. Scores are expressed as means (±Standard Deviation). Wilcoxon rank-sum test (Wt).

Figure 1. Percentage of women with scores producing moderate or high impairment (score ≥ 3) on the various C-SF items.

Notes: Percentage of women with scores producing moderate or high affectation (score ≥ 3) in the different items of the C-SF: Sweating, p = 0.002, hot flushes, p = 0.001, dry skin, p = 0.01, nervousness, p = 0.003, insomnia p = 0.003, difficulties in performing daily tasks p = 0.008. Chi-square test

Table 3. Overall health-related quality of life score in rural and urban women.

	Rural n = 135		Urban n = 135
Age (years)
<50	32.8 (±17.1)	Wt = 4688	23.4 (±16.9)	Wt = 4797
≥50	33.8 (±15.2)	p = 0.537	30.5 (±19.0)	p = 0.024
Obesity
No	31.9 (±15.4)	Wt = 7119	24.3 (±16.6)	Wt = 7128
Yes	38.8 (±18.3)	p = 0.102	35.7 (±21.7)	p = 0.016
Physical activity:
Yes	31.1 (±16.9)	Wt = 4888	23.1 (±14.9)	Wt = 5070
No	36.4 (±14.7)	p = 0.013	31.2 (±21.2)	p = 0.049
Non-smoker	33.1 (±16.3)	Wt = 6889	27.1 (±18.3)	Wt = 2488
Smoker	33.7 (±16.1)	p = 0.813	24.6 (±17.6)	p = 0.427
Not alcohol consumer	34.7 (±16.4)	Wt = 2591	25.8 (±17.8)	Wt = 4290
Alcohol consumer	30.1 (±15.4)	p = 0.116	26.8 (±18.4)	p = 0.786
Education level:
Secondary or higher education	33.3 (±16.2)	Wt = 1332	26.3 (±18.3)	Wt = 8191
Primary	32.9 (±16.7)	p = −0.862	26.4 (±16.4)	p = 0.792
Employment status:
Employed	32.5 (±16.1)	Wt = 7601	25.9 (±18.4)	Wt = 8176
Unemployed	37.4 (±16.8)	p = 0.175	30.8 (±18.8)	p = 0.373
Annual income
≥30.000 Euros	32.1 (±15.8)	Wt = 3855	28.1 (±17.7)	Wt = 5834
<30.000 Euros	34.1 (±16.6)	p = 0.694	25.5 (±18.3)	p = 0.313
Do not live alone	33.3 (±16.2)	Wt = 8256	25.7 (±18.0)	Wt = 7925
Live alone	32.9 (±16.7)	p = 0.765	30.8 (±18.6)	p = 0.256
Sexual activity:
Yes	32.8 (±16.2)	Wt = 8691	23.9 (±16.4)	Wt = 7449
No	44.6 (±14.1)	p = 0.083	43.4 (±20.1)	p < 0.001
Not depressed (BDI2)	26.9 (±12.1)	Wt = 5135	20.3 (±14.0)	Wt = 5541
Some depression level (BDI2)	49.3 (±14.2)	p < 0.001	43.8 (±17.2)	p < 0.001

Mean (Standard Deviation) total C-SF. Wilcoxon rank-sum test (Wt).