The role of self-rated health in the association between chronic somatic diseases and climacteric-related symptoms

Abstract

Objectives: We have previously shown an association between several chronic somatic diseases and climacteric-related symptoms. This time, we investigated whether self-rated health (SRH) contributes to this association.

Methods: The Women’s Health Questionnaire was used to evaluate the climacteric-related symptoms, and existence of the diseases was investigated in 3421 women (41–54 years). In our previous study, the associations were defined with multivariable analyses. In the present study, SRH (good, moderate or bad) was included as a covariate.

Results: Most of the previously found associations between the diseases and the symptoms lost their significance. Accordingly, SRH played an important role in the association between the diseases and the symptoms related to the climacteric.

Conclusions: SRH seems to be of significant importance regarding the relationship between the chronic somatic diseases and the symptoms related to climacteric. Most of the diseases are not associated with the climacteric-related symptoms if the disease does not deteriorate the SRH. Thus, women’s own perception of their health is crucial for their symptomatology.

Key words:

• Menopausal symptoms
• quality of life
• menopause
• climacteric symptoms
• middle age
• middle-aged
• medical condition
• self-perception of health

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Tero Vahlberg, MSc and Hans Helenius, MSc from the Department of Biostatistics, University of Turku for their collaboration and Scribendi for the English language proofreading of this manuscript.

Conflict of interest

Riina Katainen, Janne Engblom, Tiina Siirtola, and Päivi Polo-Kantola have no conflicts of interest to be reported. Risto Erkkola has been in research collaboration with Bayer Inc., and as an expert group member with HormosMedical, Aromtech, and MSD. He is also a specialty editor for Case Reports in Women’s Health and Women’s Health International.

Source of funding

The Finnish Menopause Society, Åland Culture Foundation, Turku University Hospital (the Special Government Funding), University of Turku Graduate School (UTUGS) and the Finnish Medical Foundation have funded the project.