Awareness of Menopause and its Associated Factors among Men in Eastern India

A menopausal transition is a stressful event in a woman's life affecting health and quality of life. Spousal awareness of menopausal changes can help them support their wives in coping with the menopausal transition. No studies have explored men's awareness of menopause in India. Therefore, this study aimed to find the men's awareness of menopause and its associated factors. The study also explored men's awareness of the management of symptoms and partner support.

This cross-sectional study of husbands of menopausal women aged 45-60 years in eastern India evaluated their awareness of menopause by a structured questionnaire. A semistructured interview schedule assessed the men's awareness of menopause, management of symptoms, and partner support.

Four hundred and twenty consenting men fulfilling inclusion criteria were recruited for the study. The mean age of the husband was 50.7 ± 3.9 years. The mean age of the wife was 56.6 ± 4.4 years. Most men reported symptoms of joint pain (69.3%), low energy level (68.8%), decreased physical strength (63.3%), tiredness (61%), and low backache (51%) in their wives. The overall knowledge of menopause among husbands was inadequate (91.42%). Men reported that their wives avoiding sexual intimacy (85.7%), irritability (58.6%), and mood swings (43.1%) affected their marital relationship. The husband's knowledge was associated with education (P = 0.014), the wife's education (P < 0.001), occupation (P < 0.001), family income (P < 0.001), and socioeconomic status (P < 0.001).

Indian husbands lacked information on menopause. Men need information on menopause to support their menopausal spouses.