8 research outputs found
Determinants of quality of life in Greek middle-age women: A population survey
Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate how sociodemographic parameters, lifestyle indicators and intensity of climacteric symptoms affect the quality of life (QOL) of Greek community dwelling middle-aged women. Study design: This population survey included 1140 middle-aged women aged 45-65 who represented 1% of the whole female population of this age group in Greece, stratified by residential area. Main outcome measures: Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire concerning sociodemographic and anthropometric parameters, medical history, the Utian quality of life (QOL) scale and the Greene climacteric scale rating menopausal symptoms. Results: In the univariate analysis, normal body mass index, married status, higher education, employment, good financial status, physical exercise and a high calcium diet were associated with higher total QOL scores (p-value < 0.001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that higher total QOL scores were predicted by being married (separated/divorced/widowed: beta = -3.17, p-value = 0.008), by physical exercise (beta = 4.84 and beta = 4.57 for 1-3 h and >3 h per week respectively, p-value < 0.001) and by a good financial status (beta = 7.05, p-value < 0.001), while a higher score in the Greene scale resulted in lower total QOL scores (beta = -0.77, p-value < 0.001). Women with a better QOL were more health conscious and more probable to have utilized the public health preventive resources. Conclusions: Menopause as a life event has no effect on the QOL of Greek middle-aged women. On the contrary, the presence and intensity of climacteric symptoms have a negative impact on all aspects of QOL. Marital and financial status, as well as physical exercise, are also significant predictors of QOL. © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd
Vasomotor and depression symptoms may be associated with different sleep disturbance patterns in postmenopausal women
Objective: This study aims to explore the association of vasomotor
symptoms (VMS) and depression symptoms with different symptoms of
subjective sleep disturbance in postmenopausal women.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 163 postmenopausal women
(not taking hormone therapy) attending a university menopause clinic.
Measures included the Athens Insomnia Scale, Greene Climacteric Scale,
and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised depression subscale. Covariate-adjusted
ordinal logistic regression was used to investigate the association of
VMS and depression with each item of the Athens Insomnia Scale.
Results: Controlling for confounding factors, we found VMS to be
significantly associated with awakenings during the night (odds ratio
[OR], 1.85; P < 0.001), overall quality of sleep (OR, 2.00; P <
0.001), well-being during the day (OR, 1.63; P = 0.008), functioning
capacity during the day (OR, 1.72; P = 0.01), and sleepiness during the
day (OR, 1.66; P = 0.03); whereas we found Symptom Checklist-90-Revised
depression subscale scores to be associated with sleep induction (OR,
2.09; P < 0.001), final awakening earlier than desired (OR, 2.21; P <
0.001), total sleep duration (OR, 1.62; P = 0.01), overall quality of
sleep (OR, 1.64; P = 0.009), well-being during the day (OR, 1.67; P =
0.006), functioning capacity during the day (OR, 1.68; P = 0.01), and
sleepiness during the day (OR, 1.57; P = 0.04).
Conclusions: VMS and depression symptoms are associated with different
patterns of sleep disturbance. Although both symptoms are related to
sleep quality, daytime functioning, and daytime well-being, depression
is uniquely associated with difficulty falling asleep and waking up
earlier than desired, whereas VMS are related to frequent awakenings
during sleep. The findings are limited by the cross-sectional design and
relatively small sample size of the study. Recommendations for future
research are discussed to guide this line of inquiry and to gain a
better understanding of the complex relationship between climacteric and
mood symptoms and their contribution to the development of sleep
disturbances during menopause
Circulating androgens are associated with mood disturbances in young postmenopausal women
Objectives We aimed to evaluate the association between circulating androgens and the presence of psychological symptoms in a sample of healthy middle-aged women. Methods Psychological and depressive symptoms were evaluated in a total of 207 postmenopausal women, using the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90R) and the Zung Depression Scale, respectively. We investigated the associations between the SCL-90R and Zung Scale scores, and anthropometric, lifestyle parameters, as well as serum levels of androgens. Results The free androgen index was positively associated with scores of depression (b-coefficient ± standard error (SE) = 0.2 ± 0.2, p = 0.040), anxiety (b-coefficient ± SE = 0.2 ± 0.2, p = 0.028), anger/aggressiveness (b-coefficient ± SE = 0.3 ± 0.2, p = 0.026), psychotism (b-coefficient ± SE = 0.3 ± 0.1, p = 0.013) as well as with the global index of the SCL-90R scale (b-coefficient ± SE = 0.2 ± 0.1, p = 0.036), while sex hormone binding globulin was negatively associated with depression (b-coefficient ± SE = -0.2 ± 0.0, p = 0.046) and psychotism (b-coefficient ± SE = -0.2 ± 0.0, p = 0.047). These associations were independent of vasomotor symptomatology, smoking and hormone therapy intake and were more pronounced in younger (≤ 5.5 years) compared to older postmenopausal women. Levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate were positively associated with interpersonal sensitivity (b-coefficient ± SE = 0.3 ± 0.3, p = 0.042), psychotism (b-coefficient ± SE = 0.4 ± 0.2, p = 0.007) and the global index (b-coefficient ± SE = 0.3 ± 0.2, p = 0.040) in women < 5.5 years postmenopausal. No significant associations were observed between the Zung or Greene Scale scores and levels of androgens. Conclusion Higher androgenicity was positively associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression in postmenopausal women. These associations were stronger in women closer to the menopausal transition, a finding which may suggest that menopause rather than aging may mediate the association of androgens with mood disorders. © 2015 International Menopause Society
Quality of life and psychological symptoms in Greek postmenopausal women: Association with hormone therapy
Quality of life (QoL) in menopause is influenced by many parameters,
including vasomotor symptoms, psychological status and culture. The aim
of the present study was to examine the association of hormone therapy
(HT) with QoL and psychological symptoms in Greek postmenopausal women.
The study assessed 216 postmenopausal women (mean age 54.5 years)
attending a university menopause clinic in Greece. Fifty-three were
users of HT and 163 were not. QoL was evaluated by the Utian Quality of
Life Scale (UQOL) and psychological symptoms were assessed by the
Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R). Women on HT were younger and more
educated than women not using HT. Adjusting the analysis for the women’s
characteristics, HT users had better total UQOL scores than non-users (p
< 0.05). Marital status and education had independent effects on QoL,
with married and more educated women scoring higher (p < 0.05).
Assessment of psychological symptomatology, after adjustment for
sociodemographic variables across the different dimensions, revealed
that HT users had better SCL-90-R scores than non-users for
obsessionality, interpersonal sensitivity and for the general index (p <
0.05). Concluding, even though the impact of sociodemographic and
lifestyle variables must be factored into the assessment of QoL, HT use
is independently related to an improvement in the total score and in
most domains of QoL, and has a significant positive effect on many
aspects of psychological well-being in Greek postmenopausal women