45~60歲婦女之更年期症狀與生活品質相關因素研究

Menopausal Symptoms and Factors Related to Quality of Life Among a Sample of Women 45-60 Years of Age

本研究為橫斷式之描述性研究，研究目的為：瞭解某醫學中心婦產科45-60歲門診就診婦女的更年期症狀與生活品質概況，並探討婦女之個人特質、更年期症狀與其生活品質之相關。研究對象為具有一項（含）以上更年期症狀之138位婦女；使用Greene更年期症狀量表、泌尿道症狀子量表與臺灣版SF-36生活品質量表，測量婦女之更年期症狀與生活品質；資料呈現與統計分析之方法，包括：百分比、平均值、標準差、t檢定、單因子多變項變異數分析與皮爾森相關。研究結果顯示：受試婦女表達較為嚴重之前五項更年期症狀依序為：性慾降低、感覺疲倦或缺少活力、肌肉關節疼痛、不容易入睡與注意力不容易集中；82%之受試婦女至少經歷一項泌尿道症狀。受試婦女之生活品質低於社區婦女；年齡、身體質量指數、婚姻狀況、教育程度、罹患慢性疾病以及使用荷爾蒙療法與SF-36生活品質量表某些層面之生活品質有關；更年期症狀與八個層面之生活品質均呈現顯著相關。研究結果突顯良好處理更年期症狀對於促進婦女生活品質的重要性，專業醫療照護人員可針對影響更年期生活品質之相關因素，設計與提供適切之健康照護服務。例如：對於體重不符合標準之婦女，可於醫院或社區提供減重相關課程，藉由標準體重之維持，婦女可保有較佳之身體心像、預防慢性疾病之發生與達成良好控制所罹患之慢性疾病。並可於醫院或社區提供更年期諮詢服務與成立更年期婦女支持團體，以專業方式協助婦女處理更年期症狀與減低其困擾，進而促進其生活品質。This study was a cross-sectional, descriptive study. Research aims were: (a) to understand women's menopausal symptoms and health related quality of life (HRQL), and (b) to explore factors related to women's HRQL among a sample of women 45-60 years of age at a gynecology/obstetrics clinic in a medical center. One hundred and thirty eight women with more than one menopausal symptom (s) were invited to participate in this study. The Greene Climacteric Scale, Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Subscale and the Short Form-36 Taiwan version were used to measure women's menopausal symptoms and HRQL. Data presentation and statistical analyses included percentage, mean, standard deviation, t test, One-way ANOVA and Pearson correlation. In the present study, results revealed that the five most frequently reported menopausal symptoms were loss of interest in sex, feeling tired or lack in energy, muscle and joint pains, difficulty in sleeping, and difficulty in concentrating. About 82% women experienced at least one lower urinary tract symptom (s). Participants in this study reported lower HRQL than women in the community. Some individual characteristics such as age, body mass index, marital status, education, chronic disease (s) and the usage of hormone replacement therapy were significantly related to some HRQL aspects; menopausal symptoms were significantly related to 8 HRQL aspects. Results in this study also showed the importance of managing menopausal symptom (s) for improving women's HRQL. Based on the findings of possible factors related to women's HRQL, professional health care providers could design and provide adequate health care services. For example, through providing weight loss program either in the hospital or in the community for overweighed women, women's body image could be improved, occurrence of chronic disease could be prevented, and chronic disease could be well managed. In addition, menopause related consulting service and support group could be initiated in the hospital or in the community to help women manage their menopausal symptom (s), lower the impact resulted from the symptom (s), and further improve their HRQL.