Changing womanhood: perimenopause among Filipina-Americans.
OBJECTIVE
To develop a conceptualization of perimenopause experienced by Filipina-American women.


METHODS
Grounded theory methods of interviews and constant comparative analysis.


METHODS
Participants were interviewed in their homes or other location of their choosing.


METHODS
Sixteen Filipina-American women who had not menstruated in the past 6 months or who identified themselves as perimenopausal.


METHODS
Changing womanhood was the core category and was related to three major categories living in my changing body changing family relationships and changing community networks.


RESULTS
The women experienced changes such as hot flashes and irritability as well as role conflicts and broadening community involvement. The perimenopause is also a time to focus on oneself and to seek activities of a personal, familial, and community nature that are fulfilling in a different way than previous child-rearing activities.


CONCLUSIONS
Filipina-American women experience perimenopause as a normal process of aging rather than as symptomatic of disease, thus providing a health-oriented model of perimenopause.
College of Nursing, University of San Diego, USA.
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MA
Hautman
D000375:Aging; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D009732:Nursing Care; D010679:Philippines / Q000208:ethnology; D017697:Premenopause / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D014481:United States; D016387:Women's Health