Menopausal symptoms and the awareness of menopausal-related information in low-income mid-aged women from Guayaquil, Ecuador

Figures & data

Table 1. Sociodemographic and personal medical information of surveyed women.

Parameter	n = 140
Age (years)	48.0 ± 5.6
40–44	42 (30.0)
45–49	45 (32.2)
50–54	30 (21.4)
55–60	23 (16.4)
Parity	4.3 ± 2.3
Low education	62 (44.3)
Married	66 (47.1)
Non-urban residency	90 (64.3)
Menarche (years)	12.9 ± 1.6
Premenopausal	32 (22.9)
Perimenopausal	51 (36.4)
Postmenopausal	49 (35.0)
Hysterectomy	8 (5.7)
Sedentary	81 (57.9)
Smoker	4 (2.9)
High blood pressure	47 (33.6)
Diabetes	16 (11.4)

Data are presented as mean ± standard deviations or frequencies n (%).

Table 2. Anthropometry of surveyed women.

Parameter	n = 140
Weight (kg)	70.2 ± 13.8
Hight (mt)	1.54 ± 0.1
Body mass index (BMI; k/m^2)	29.4 ± 5.6
Overweight (BMI 25–29.99 k/m^2)	48 (34.3)
Obesity (BMI ≥ 30 k/m^2)	62 (44.3)
Obesity Grade 1 (BMI 30–34.99 k/m^2)	36 (25.7)
Obesity Grade 2 (BMI 35–39.99 k/m^2)	19 (13.6)
Obesity Grade 3 (BMI ≥ 40.0 k/m^2)	7 (5.0)
Neck circumference (cm)	37.3 ± 2.9
Abdominal circumference (cm)	95.3 ± 11.1
Abdominal obesity (waist > 80 cm)	130 (92.9)
Hip circumference (cm)	106.7 ± 14.4
Waist/hip ratio	.95 ± .7
Waist/hip ratio > .84	134 (95.7)

Data are presented as mean ± standard deviations or frequencies n (%).

Table 3. Questions to evaluate knowledge of women on different aspects related to the menopause.

Questions related to menopause	Yes	Don’t know
1. Do you know what menopause is?	2 (1.4)	138 (98.6)
2. What age does menopause appear?	2 (1.4)	138 (98.6)
3. During menopause can osteoporosis appear?	68 (48.6)	72 (51.4)
4. During menopause can depression appear?	99 (70.7)	41 (29.3)
5. During menopause can weight be gained?	86 (61.4)	54 (38.6)
6. Women in menopause have cardiovascular risk?	63 (45.0)	77 (55.0)
7. Do you know about questionnaires that evaluate menopause symptoms?	0 (.0)	140 (100)
8. Do you know about Kegel exercise?	2 (1.4)	138 (98.6)
9. Do you know about cardiovascular risk calculators?	0 (.0)	140 (100.0)
10. Do you know the treatment for menopause?	9 (6.4)	131 (93.6)
Total score (10 points)	2.36 ± 1.5 [3.0]
Additional questions
Are there menopause programs where you get examined?	3 (2.1)	137 (97.9)
After the survey did you obtained new concepts from the 10-minute educational talk?	140 (100.0)	0 (0.0)

Data are presented as mean ± standard deviations, [medians] or frequencies n (%).

Table 4. Presence of menopausal symptoms according to the short 10-item version of the Cervantes Scale (n = 140).

Items of the CS-10	Present	No
CS-1: I have hot flushes (and/or night sweats)	96 (68.6)	44 (31.4)
CS-2: I feel my heart beating quickly and out of control	73 (52.1)	67 (47.9)
CS-3: I cannot get sufficient sleep (difficulty in sleeping)	85 (60.7)	55 (39.3)
CS-4: Aching in muscles and/or joints	105 (75.0)	35 (25.0)
CS-5: I feel tired since I get up (feeling a lack of energy)	94 (67.1)	46 (32.9)
CS-6: I have the perception of being useless	99 (70.7)	41 (29.3)
CS-7: I feel anxious or nervous	86 (61.4)	54 (38.6)
CS-8: I am afraid of performing physical efforts because my urine leaks	79 (56.4)	61 (43.6)
CS-9: I have vaginal discomfort and dryness	100 (71.4)	40 (28.6)
CS-10: I have noticed skin dryness (changes in skin appearance, texture or tone)	104 (74.3)	36 (25.7)
Total score of the CS-10	15.3 ± 9.0 [14.0]

Data are presented as mean ± standard deviations, [medians] or frequencies n (%).

Table 5. Total CS-10 scores according to characteristics of surveyed women*.

Female data	n = 140
Age (years)
40–48	13.6 ± 9.3
49–60	17.6 ± 7.9
	p = 0.008
Education (years)
0 a 6	17.0 ± 9.0
> 6	14.0 ± 8.8
	p = .04
Marital status
Married	18.2 ± 8.4
Not married	12.8 ± 8.4
	p < .001
Postmenopausal
No	14.2 ± 9.4
Yes	17.5 ± 7.6
	p = .03
Total score obtained in the menopausal knowledge survey (< 4 points median)
No	18.2 ± 9.3
Yes	14.2 ± 8.6
	p = .01

Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation.

* Only significant variables are presented which were confirmed with logistic regression analysis.

Data availability statement

All required information regarding the study protocol and collected data will be made available upon request to researchers who provide a methodologically sound proposal. Only the analysis required to achieve the aims in the approved proposal will be permitted. Proposals should be directed to [email protected] Data requestors must sign a data access agreement form to gain access.