Socioeconomic differences in the menopausal experience of Chinese women
Andrea Huseth-Zosel1, Mark Strand2, Judith Perry3
1Department of Pharmacy Practice, Master of Public Health Program, North Dakota State University, Fargo, USA.
Objective:
This study explores the effect of employment status, occupation and education on menopausal symptoms experienced by women in an urban community in China.
Study Design:
Cross-sectional survey.
Main Outcome Measures:
Menopausal symptoms, medication/supplement use to relieve menopausal symptoms, sociodemographic variables.
Results:
Risks for more burdensome menopausal symptoms include less education, non-white collar occupation and unemployment/retirement status. Being employed in a white collar occupation and having higher formal education were protective for hot flashes, dry skin/eyes, heart palpitations and insomnia and were associated with increased usage of medication to alleviate menopausal symptoms.
Conclusions:
As Chinese women age and continue working longer, they will spend increasing amounts of time postmenopausal and in the workplace. The development of worksite-based health programmes would be advantageous to female workers of menopausal age in China.
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