Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Associate Professor, Department of Nursing Education, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.
2
Associate Professor, Department of Nursing Education, Nursing Research Center, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.
Abstract
Introduction: Menopause is a complex phenomenon in women with physical, psychological and social effects in middle adulthood. Although, menopause is a biological event, but its related social meanings determine how a woman understand and interpret this phenomena. The women’s perception of this transitional period depends of cultural norms, social issues and individual knowledge about menopause. The aim of this study was to explore menopause as experience in Iranian Turkmen women.
Methods: This qualitative phenomenological study was conducted on 45 Turkmen women from Aqqalla, Bandar Turkman and Gonbad in Golestan province, located in Northern Iran, in 2008, who experienced natural menopause. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. All of the interviews were tape recorded and transcribed line by line. Data were analyzed based van Manen phenomenological method.
Results: Five main themes that explain Turkmen women’s experiences of menopause were resulted: "preparation for menopause, relieving, pro and con, beliefs and feelings, and home remedy". Feel of being comfortable to worship, being clean, reduction of pain, no worries about becoming pregnant, God’s ordinance and entering into another phase of life were sub-themes that describe the main concepts.
Conclusion: The experience of menopause in Turkmen women is unique and different from other ethnicity groups. In order to provide comprehensive services, the health care givers need to understand the complexity of women’s experience, beliefs and attitudes.
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