Assessment of quality of life (QoL) among postmenopausal women in Mohammadpur Geneva camp, Dhaka, Bangladesh using modified menopause rating scale (MRS) tool: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: The quality of life (QoL) is progressively becoming an important issue with aging. The aim of the study was to assess the proportion and severity of menopausal symptoms and associated factors on the QoL among postmenopausal women in Mohammadpur Geneva camp. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November to March 2019. A total of 1200 postmenopausal women [present age: mean (±SD), 54.64 (±8.15) years, age at menopause: mean (±SD), 45.38 (±5.99) and duration of menopause >20 years] were selected conveniently in considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The modified menopause rating scale (MRS) was used to assess the menopausal symptoms. Results: The mean total score, psychological, somatic and urogenital subscale scores of the MRS were 13.96 ±6.07, 6.33 ±3.46, 6.21 ±3.02 and 1.41 ±1.76, respectively. Most of the women (90%) suffered from joint and muscle pain; the second highest prevalent symptoms were depression (78%), physical & mental exhaustion (76%), and irritability (76%). Results of c2 analysis showed that age at menopause, occupation, duration of menopause, and level of education were significantly (p≤0.05) associated with MRS subscales. OR for homemaker: 1.608 (95% CI: 1.085 to 2.382); OR for literate: 2.285 (95% CI: 1.474 to 3.543); OR for SBP: 1.015 (95% CI: 1.006 to 1.024); OR for DBP: 0.988 (95% CI: 0.976 to 1.000); and OR for duration of the menopause: 0.951 (95% CI: 0.912 to 0.991). Conclusions: The total mean MRS score indicates that the symptoms were severely severe though postmenopausal women suffer mild to moderate symptoms in the subscales score. Occupation, age at menopause, marital status, education, blood pressure and duration of menopause are significantly associated with MRS score.