Effects of health coaching on menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal and perimenopausal women

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to determine the effects of health coaching on reducing menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal and perimenopausal women.Methods: This randomized controlled study was performed on 94 postmenopausal and perimenopausal women aged 45 to 55 years. The participants were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. In the intervention group, health coaching was performed in five coaching sessions biweekly (30-45 minutes each) by a midwifery coach. The primary outcome of this study was the menopausal score based on the modified Kupperman Index at 4 months after randomization. Depression (based on Zung's Self-Rating Depression Scale), physical activity (based on the International Physical Activity Questionnaire), quality of life (based on the 12-Item Short-Form Survey), smoking, alcohol intake, and anthropometric indices were also evaluated as secondary outcomes.Results: There was a significant mean difference between the coaching and control groups in terms of change in the scores of menopausal symptoms from baseline (T0) to 4 months after the intervention (T1; −12.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], −10.59 to −14.42; P = 0.001). Moreover, a significant mean difference was observed between the two groups in terms of change in depression symptoms from T0 to T1 (−5.72; 95% CI, −7.61 to −3.83; P < 0.001) and in terms of quality of life (4.13; 95% CI, 2.95 to 5.31; P < 0.001). Health coaching, however, had no effects on the physical activity of the participants.Conclusion: Based on the present results, the coaching intervention is a suitable method to improve quality of life by reducing weight, waist circumference, body mass index, depression, and menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal and perimenopausal women. It can have important effects on the development of health promotion programs to reduce menopausal symptoms in menopause clinics.

The aging brain: risk factors and interventions for long term brain health in women

“…Regarding biopsychosocial risks, a recent 4-week, app-based stress intervention showed improvement in well being, self-compassion, loneliness, and psychological distress in just several minutes per day in educators, the majority of whom were women, during the early Covid-19 pandemic [92]. Finally, recent work suggests that health coaching improved quality of life and depression symptoms in postand peri-menopausal women [93].…”

Menopause, weight, and metabolic health – considerations for a patient centered, multidisciplinary approach

“…Shokri-Ghadikolaei et al [18] found that menopausal symptoms and weight management were motivation for women to engage in health coaching. Incorporating behavior change principles, motivational interviewing, and coaching techniques to assess readiness and barriers to change is a key component to the success of this approach.…”