South Asian Women's Knowledge and Experience of the Transition to Menopause

This presentation is part of : Health Promotion in Women

Dorothy Rentschler, PhD, RN, Department of Nursing, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA and Joy Merrell, PhD, School of Health Science, University of Wales Swansea, Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom.

Introduction: In order to understand the needs of mid-life women from another culture it is paramount that their perspective is recognized and understood. Without such an understanding health care providers are at a disadvantage in knowing how to provide appropriate care for this population of women. Although there is a significant body of research on menopause, research focused on exploring the views and experiences of South Asian women regarding the menopause either in Britain or America is limited.

Specific Aim: An International study comparing the results of two studies, one conducted in Swansea, South Wales the other in New Hampshire, USA, in which the researcher from each country explores South Asian women's knowledge and experiences of the menopause

Methods: A qualitative approach was conducted utilizing focus groups. A combination of purposive and snowball sampling was used to identify the sample of 18 South Asian women, aged between 40-59 years, who reported symptoms of the peri-menopause and resided in Swansea or in southern New Hampshire. Thematic analysis of the content of the focus groups will be used to identify key themes.

Findings: It is anticipated that the findings will aid understanding of the meaning of the menopause from the perspective of South Asian women in Wales and the USA. By comparing the findings from the two countries useful insights into the similarities and differences in South Asian women’s needs during the menopause will be gained.

Conclusions: It is anticipated that findings could inform the development of a data collection tool to be used in a related large-scale survey in Wales and the USA. Additionally, the recommendations from the study will assist in informing future planning in the provision of services for this section of the community in both Swansea and southern New Hampshire.

Learning Objective #1: Describe the meaning of the menopause from the perspective of South Asian women
Learning Objective #2: Identify the needs experienced during the menopause of South Asian women living in either South Wales or the United States