Quality of Life in Climacteric Women in Picos/Piauí, Brazil

Machado, Ana Larissa Gomes

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Ana Larissa Gomes Machado, MSc¹
Joara Marreiros Araújo Luz, ACD²
João Egídio Gonçalves Rodrigues, ACD²
Kathyhellen Lemos E. Silva, ACD²
Ricardo Emanuel de Souza Pereira, ACD²
Francisca Alexandra Araújo da Silva, MSc¹
(1)Bacharelado em Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Picos, Brazil
(2)Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Picos, Brazil

Learning Objective 1: To recognize the physical and psychological experienced by climacteric women.

Learning Objective 2: To evaluate the influence of climacteric symptoms on women life quality based on Women’s Health Questionnaire.

Purpose: The aim of this work was to assess the quality of life in climacteric women registered in a Family’s Health Center of Picos, city of Piauí, Brazil.

Methods: One hundred and thirty women were interviewed, between August and September 2010, based on Women’s Health Questionnaire which estimates the symptoms of the climacteric status. The tool possesses 36 items divided into 9 areas: somatic symptoms, depressing humor, cognitive difficulties, anxiety, sexual satisfaction, and menstrual symptoms.

Results: The women classified their quality of life as regular. Vasomotor symptoms, sleepiness troubles, memory and concentration were the most commonly signals recorded by the women that affect their life’s quality. On the other hand, some aspects linked to sexual behavior and attractiveness showed minor importance to their quality of life.

Conclusion: Nurses working in primary health care should understand the typical symptoms of postmenopausal women as a way to improve their actuating in the educational and promotion in the population and to alleviate characteristic symptoms of this stage, treating it as a natural occurrence.

See more of: Accepted WANS Posters
See more of: World Academy of Nursing Science: Oral Paper & Posters