Cross-sectional community survey of menopause symptoms among Japanese women

To determine the prevalence and characteristics of climacteric symptoms and related factors among 50-year-old Japanese women.

A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to all 50-year-old women (n=3166) in three northern wards of Kawasaki City regarding 10 menopausal symptoms (hot flashes, sweats, insomnia, depression, palpitation, chills, irritation, headache, fatigue, and stiff shoulders) as well as demographic, lifestyle, psychological, socio-economic and physical factors. The questionnaire included closed-ended questions about symptoms over a 1-year recall time frame. The response rate was 55%, and women with current illness, a history of gynecological or endocrinological disorders and those on HRT were eliminated. We finally analyzed data from 1169 (37%) women.

The prevalence of hot flashes was 36.9%. These, together with sweats, insomnia and depression, were associated with menstrual status. All four symptoms were also associated with lifestyle and socio-psychological factors. Psychological stress (unease or anxiety) was associated with all 10 symptoms investigated. The two most prevalent symptoms, namely, fatigue (64.7%) and stiff shoulders (75.4%) were associated with psychological and lifestyle factors.

Hot flashes were experienced by more women in the present community-based study than in most previous studies of Japanese women. We found that hot flashes ('hoteri' in Japanese) are related to menstrual status. Symptoms both related and unrelated to menstrual status were associated with lifestyle, psychological factors and BMI.