Attitudes toward menopause among middle-aged women in Semnan, Iran

The menopause marks a major biological transition in the lives of all women. Understanding the attitude of women about menopause facilitates the implementation of public health policies that focus on improving women's health. This study was designed to determine the attitude of a group of Iranian women toward menopause with respect to sociodemographic variables and menopausal status.

A cross-sectional study was conducted at Primary Health Centers of Semnan during 2012. A total of 747 women aged 45-60 years were interviewed. Sociodemographic characteristics and attitude toward menopause were collected through a structured pretested questionnaire. The attitude scale consisted of 17 questions, each rated on a five-point Likert scale with a total score of 85 points.

The mean (±SD) age of women was 51.3 (±4.5) years. Women were classified as premenopausal (38.4%), perimenopausal (16.9%), and postmenopausal (44.8%). The majority of respondents (63.5%) were illiterate or have had low level of education (<9 years), and 86.3% were unemployed. The mean (±SD) attitude score was 53.3 (±6.8). Most of the women (71%) had neutral attitude, 22.8% had positive, and only 6.3% had negative attitude toward menopause. Menopausal status, educational level, marital status, place of residency, and employment were not associated with women's attitude.

In general, women's attitude toward menopause ranged from neutral to positive. The attitude did not differ significantly on the basis of menopausal status, educational level, marital status, place of residency, and employment.