Association of sociodemographic and reproductive variables with menopause-specific quality of life using principal component analysis

ABSTRACT

We aimed to determine whether sociodemographic and reproductive variables jointly or independently were associated with menopause-specific quality of life (MENQOL). A total of 250 Bengali-speaking Hindu women (peri- and postmenopausal) were recruited from West Bengal, India. Data on MENQOL (vasomotor, physical, psychosocial, sexual, and quality-of-life domains), sociodemographic, and reproductive variables were collected. Principal component (PC) analysis was used to identify PCs for sociodemographic and/or reproductive variables: PC1 (sociodemographic), PC2 (sociodemographic and reproductive), PC3, and PC4 (reproductive). PC scores were used in multiple regression analyses to determine associations with MENQOL. For perimenopausal women, PC1 and PC3 were inversely associated with the sexual domain; PC2 was positively associated with vasomotor, sexual domain, and quality of life; and PC3 was positively associated with the physical domain. For postmenopausal women, PC1 and PC3 were inversely associated with the sexual and psychosocial domains, respectively; PC2 was positively associated with the sexual domain and quality of life; and PC4 was positively associated with the psychosocial domain. The factors associated with MENQOL PCs were similar for perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Health planners should consider early and midlife factors associated with MENQOL to improve women’s midlife health.

KEYWORDS:

• Menopause-specific quality of life
• principal component analysis
• sociodemographic and reproductive variables
• urban India

Acknowledgments

We would like to express our gratitude to the study participants for their unhesitant support in conducting the survey. We are thankful to Miss Godhuli Goswami (Assistant Professor of English Literature of Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Government College, Newtown, Kolkata) for improving the language of the manuscript.

Ethical approval

Approval for this study was obtained from the Ethical Clearance Committee of the University of Calcutta.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Additional information

Funding

We are thankful to the University of Calcutta, India for providing financial support.