Assessment of the Relationship between Menopausal Symptoms and Severity of Depression in Postmenopausal Women

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Abstract

Introduction: Symptoms like hot flashes and night sweating, atrophic vaginitis,
osteoporosis, increase of heart diseases and possibility of depression result from
menopause and cessation of menses. Menopausal symptoms may cause depression but
existence of a relationship between menopausal symptoms and severity of depression is
doubtful. Therefore, this research is done with the objective of assessing the
relationship between menopausal symptoms and severity of depression in
postmenopausal women.
Method and materials: In this descriptive correlation research, 60 menopausal
women who referred to Mashad menopausal and gynecologic clinics were studied.
They had no history of psychiateric disorders, chronic disease, smoking and use of
narcotics, hystrectomy or oophorectomy .Evaluations for BMI, BP, laboratory test, a
pelvic and breast examination, Beck depression inventory were done at first. If they
had a beck depression inventory score of more than 9, demographic characteristics,
cassidy social support, uzeng self-steem by interview and blat menopausal symptoms,
attitude to hormone replacment therapy and menopause by subjects, were answered .
Data were analyzed by utilizing T test, pearson correlation, one way Anova with SPSS
software.
Result: Findings showed that the mean depression score and duration of amenorrea
were 19/4±7/9 and 36/6 ± 4/8, respectivly. In a total of 60 women, borderline
depression was 26/8%, mild depression 26/8%, moderate depression 26/8% and sever
depression 14/3%. 62/5% participants reported hot flash, 73/2% bone pain, 26/8 breast
pain, 41/1% headeche, 67/9% numbness, 57/1% skin crawls, 46/4% urinary
incontinence, 19/6% dysuria, 22/1% dysparonia and 64/3% complained of low sexual
desire.
There was no significant relationship between mean of depression score and severity of
menopausal symptoms ,but dysuria. Depression scores in women without dysuria
(20/47 versus 15/18) was significantly higher (p<0/05) compared with those without
dysuria.
Conclusion: According to the result of this research, menopausal symptoms had no
effect on severity of depression. So another extensive study with a different cause of
depression is recommended. 

Keywords


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