Premature menopause: a comprehensive understanding of psychosocial aspects

ABSTRACT

Objective To compare experience of premature menopause (PM), information sources, treatments, depression, anxiety, body image, sexual function and self-efficacy, between women with premature ovarian failure (POF), surgically induced menopause (SIPM), chemically induced menopause (CIPM), and controls.

Design Cross-sectional observational pilot study using validated and devised questionnaires in 77 Australian women (POF, n = 25; SIPM, n = 17; CIPM, n = 12; controls, n = 23).

Results The average age of all women was 34.8 years (standard deviation (SD) ± 5.7 years), and time since PM diagnosis was 3.8 years (SD ± 4.4 years, p = 0.19). The gynecologist (69%) and internet (67%) were the best expected sources of information. Women with PM feared osteoporosis more than controls (p < 0.0001). Women with SIPM (p = 0.006) and POF (p = 0.01) had higher rates of depression compared to controls. SIPM women were more anxious than women with POF (p = 0.04) and both SIPM (p = 0.002) and CIPM (p = 0.02) women were more anxious than controls. Women with POF had higher health evaluation (p = 0.03), fitness evaluation (p = 0.01) and fitness orientation (p = 0.01) than women with SIPM. Controls had higher health evaluation than women with SIPM (p = 0.001) and CIPM (p = 0.04), higher fitness evaluation than women with SIPM (p = 0.02) and CIPM (p = 0.04), and higher fitness orientation than SIPM women (p < 0.0001). Sexual dysfunction (p < 0.0001) and dyspareunia (p = 0.001) were higher in CIPM women than controls. Controls were more sexually responsive than POF women (p = 0.008). SIPM (p = 0.008) and POF (p = 0.04) women reported decreased confidence to manage disease.

Conclusion Depression, anxiety, body image, sexual dysfunction and self-confidence are compromised for women across different groups of premature menopause. Understanding these differences is important to the development of individual management plans based on the needs of women.

Key words::

• PREMATURE MENOPAUSE
• ANXIETY
• DEPRESSION
• BODY IMAGE
• SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION
• SELF-EFFICACY

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors would like to acknowledge Biostatistician Eldho Paul for his assistance with the data preparation and statistical analysis performed for this study and Lauren Snell for her assistance with manuscript preparation.

Conflict of interest Dr A. Vincent is a member of the Editorial Board member for Climacteric.

Source of funding Drs Deeks, Gibson-Helm and Vincent did not receive any funding for this project. Professor H. Teede is an NH&MRC research fellowship holder.