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Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
Published on: May 31, 2021
Cross-cultural comparisons: midlife, aging, and menopause
Carla Makhlouf Obermeyer1, Lynnette Leidy Sievert
1Department of Population and International Health, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Menopause (New York, N.Y.)
|June 21, 2007
Summary
Cross-cultural studies reveal core menopausal symptoms exist, but their specific experiences vary by culture. Future research should collect both investigator-driven (etic) and community-focused (emic) data for better comparisons.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Anthropology
- Women's Health
Background:
- Midlife and aging research requires robust cross-cultural comparisons.
- Menopause is a key area for examining biological, cultural, and health differences across populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically evaluate the conceptual and methodological foundations of cross-cultural research.
- To propose recommendations for future studies on midlife and aging, particularly concerning menopause.
Main Methods:
- Review of the comparative method, emphasizing cross-cultural studies of menopause.
- Introduction of etic (standardized, investigator-focused) and emic (community-focused) data collection approaches.
Main Results:
- Cross-country studies indicate a universal set of "core" menopausal symptoms.
- The specific manifestations and nuances of menopausal symptoms are significantly culture-specific.
Conclusions:
- There is a critical need for collecting both etic and emic data in cross-cultural research.
- Improved data collection strategies are essential for enhancing the validity of cross-cultural comparisons in aging research.
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