Age Differences in Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Menopause

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine how age affects knowledge and attitudes toward menopause. Three-hundred fifty questionnaires were disbibuted to women of all ages at a midwestem hospital and to older women at several senior citizen centers. Two-hundred eighty-six questionnaires were returned. Older women exhibited less knowledge about menopause than the younger women @ < 0.05), but older women had more positive attitudes towards menopause. Women's attitudes toward menopause were significantly related to self-perceived health, self-perception of mother's attihide toward menopause and attitude toward growing older. Mothers' attitude toward menopause, attitude toward growing older, and age accounted for 17% of the variance relating to a woman's attitudes toward menopause.