Immigration transition and gastrointestinal symptoms during menopausal transition: midlife women in the US

This study aimed to explore the associations of immigration transition to gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms experienced during the menopausal transition among 974 midlife women in the US.

The data from 974 midlife women from 2 national Internet survey studies were used for this secondary analysis. Only the data related to background characteristics and, health/menopausal status, immigration transition, and the Gastrointestinal Symptom Index for Midlife Women were included. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics including analyses of covariance, logistic regression analyses, and hierarchical multiple regression analyses.

There were statistical differences in total numbers and total severity scores of total GI symptoms between immigrants and nonimmigrants (F = 7.08 and 6.20, respectively; both P < 0.05); Immigrants had fewer total numbers and lower total severity scores of GI symptoms than nonimmigrants. All immigration transition variables including immigration status, the length of stay in the US, and the acculturation level accounted for 11.8% of the total numbers (F = 32.79, P < 0.001) and 12.5% of the total severity scores of GI symptoms (F = 35.10, P < 0.001). However, only immigration status (being nonimmigrant) was a significant factor that was associated with greater total numbers and higher total severity scores of GI symptoms (β = 0.62, P < 0.001 and β = 0.65, P < 0.001, respectively).

This study supports that immigration status is a significant factor that influences GI symptoms during the menopausal transition.