Class, gender and culture in the experience of menopause. A comparative survey in Tunisia and France

Menopause, hormone treatment and urinary incontinence at midlife

“…Menopause is diagnosed when menstruation has stopped for 12 successive months, and the average age at which it occurs is between 47 and 51 [1,2]. Its clinical expression varies very considerably between socio-cultural groups and individuals [3]. These variations depend on many factors, such as women's social status, their nutrition, life style (smoking) and weight, not forgetting genetic factors [3].…”

“…Its clinical expression varies very considerably between socio-cultural groups and individuals [3]. These variations depend on many factors, such as women's social status, their nutrition, life style (smoking) and weight, not forgetting genetic factors [3]. It is difficult to draw the distinction between the effects of menopause and those of ageing.…”

Experiencing menopause in the UK: The interrelated narratives of normality, distress, and transformation

“…Several studies found socioeconomic differences (Martin, 1993). For example, Delanoe et al (2012), comparing French and Tunisian women living in both countries, found class more influential than nationality or geography. Lesseducated West-Bengali women similarly fare worse (Dasgupta & Ray, 2013).…”

“…Meaning arises from the interaction between the biological and social where lived bodily experiences become social or visible to oneself and others (1993,2010). Somatic experiences of menopause may vary cross-culturally (Beyene, 1986;Lock & Kaufert, 2001;Shea, 2006), socioeconomically (Dasgupta & Ray, 2013;Delanoe et al, 2012), ethnically (Nixon, Mansfield, Kittell, & Faulkner, 2001;Sampselle, Harris, Harlow, & Sowers, 2002;Wray, 2007), and across generations (Davis, 1997;Utz, 2011).…”

Comparative study of the quality of life associated with menopause in Tunisia and France

“…4 A universal phenomenon, menopause nonetheless shows surprising variations in physical symptoms, the social status of postmenopausal women, and the cultural construction of the end of female fertility according to ethnic group, society, and social class. 5 Different sociological and epidemiological studies have shown the influence of ethnic origin, educational level, and income level between different countries, 6<11 between women of different origins but living in the same country, 12,13 and between women born in the same place but living in two different countries. 14,15 The impact of sociocultural differences on menopausal outcomes has emerged as an intriguing theme.…”