Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Ph.D. Student of Reproductive Health, Lecturer of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran.
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women’s Health Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
3
Professor of Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
4
M.Sc. of Maternity and Child Health, Health Center Number 3, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Abstract
Introduction: Menopause is one of the most critical periods in women's life and the symptoms may be experience is the challenges of care health. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the symptoms of menopause and the level of anxiety and depression during the period of approaching menopause.
Methods: In this analytical cross sectional study, 100 women aged 45-60 years were selected by cluster sampling method in Gonabad, Iran, 2003. The women were living with their spouses and did not have any serious difficulties at home. They did not have any suspected or confirmed pregnancy, and were not taking oral contraceptives or using any kind of hormone replacement therapy. Cases did not have a surgical history of hysterectomy or oophorectomy; and moreover, they did not have a history of any mental illnesses or chronic physical diseases. The tools used in this study included demographic questionnaire, the Beck depression scale, the Spielberger anxiety scale and the modified Copper man index. In data collecting process, demographic data form, Beck depression scale, Spielberger anxiety scale and Copper man index were completed respectively. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 16, ANOVA and correlation tests. P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: The Pearson correlation test showed that there was no significant difference between severity of symptoms of menopause and depression score (p=0.125) and anxiety (p=0.75). Anxiety has a statistical difference in the different levels of “insomnia” (p=0.043) and the highest mean of anxiety was present in the severe level of insomnia.
Conclusion: There is no relation between the symptoms of menopause and anxiety and depression, but studies conducted in other countries indicated a relationship between the symptoms of menopause, anxiety and depression. The difference may be due to cultural differences and women's attitudes toward menopause.
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