Optimizing the Management of Menopause-Related Chronic Diseases in Rural Settings: A Closed-Loop...

Area of Science:

• Women's Health
• Public Health
• Gerontology

Background:

• Menopausal symptoms in rural women often co-occur with chronic conditions like bone metabolism, cardiovascular, psychological, and urogenital disorders.
• High disease burden in rural areas contrasts with low healthcare utilization and fragmented management due to multidimensional barriers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a closed-loop "screening-prevention-treatment" pathway for managing menopause-related chronic disease clusters in resource-constrained rural settings.
• To shift focus from isolated symptom relief to comprehensive control of comorbidities.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective descriptive study analyzed data from 10,224 women in Changshan County using a collaborative network and proactive screening.
• Risk stratification involved the modified Kupperman Index and sex hormone profiling.
• Interventions ranged from lifestyle modifications to menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), with long-term digital follow-up.

Main Results:

• 28.46% of screened women had abnormal sex hormones; 31.37% of symptomatic women initiated interventions.
• MHT uptake increased with symptom severity (65.50% moderate, 100% severe).
• Diagnosis-to-treatment conversion rate was 72.09% in women aged 40-45. Screening identified 11.8 non-target abnormalities per 100 women.

Conclusions:

• The closed-loop model effectively addresses fragmented care for rural menopausal women.
• Active screening and risk stratification improve diagnostic conversion rates and resource efficiency.
• This model offers a replicable framework for managing menopause comorbidities and promoting healthy aging in underserved areas.