Mexican beliefs and attitudes toward menopause and menopausal-related symptoms

Abstract

The objective of this study was to explore the beliefs and attitudes toward menopause among young and middle-aged Mexican women and men, as well as the menopausal-related symptoms that middle-aged women report or expect and that other participants think a menopausal woman experiences. The beliefs about and attitudes toward Menopause Questionnaire and the Greene Climacteric Scale were answered by 395 Mexicans between the ages of 20 and 60 years. Comparing middle-aged participants, the most negative attitudes toward menopause were held by surgically menopausal women, and the most positive attitudes by naturally postmenopausal women. Younger participants showed more negative attitudes when compared to those in middle age (with exception of surgically menopausal women). There was a positive correlation between negative attitudes and menopausal-related symptoms either experienced by perimenopausal and naturally postmenopausal women, or expected by young and premenopausal women. No significant correlation was found between attitudes and symptoms in the groups of surgically menopausal women or the men. These findings are discussed in light of differences between genders and age cohorts.

• Attitudes
• menopause
• menopausal-related symptoms

Current knowledge on this subject

• Menopause carries different connotations in different cultures.

• The presence and severity of menopausal-related symptoms vary enormously from woman to woman.

• Attitudes toward menopause may play an important role in the experience of menopause.

What this study adds

• Comparing Mexican middle-aged people, the most negative attitudes toward menopause are held by surgically menopausal women.

• Young Mexican people hold more negative attitudes toward menopause than middle-age people (with exception of surgically menopausal women).

• There is a relationship between negative attitudes toward menopause and symptoms either experienced by perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, or expected by young and premenopausal women.

• There is no relationship between attitudes toward menopause and symptoms in surgically menopausal women.

• There is no relationship between attitudes toward menopause and symptoms neither in young men nor middle-aged men.