title: El cambio de vida: conceptualizations of menopause and midlife among urban Latina women.
abstract: The experience of menopause among Latina women has seldom been described. The purpose of this study was to conceptualize and contextualize the experience of menopause from the perspective of Latina women. A series of focus group sessions were conducted with postmenopausal Latina women living in a large midwestern city. Themes derived from content analysis included: (a) The primacy of health and the importance of harmony and balance; (b) El cambio de vida--something you have to go through; and (c) This time is for me: reorientation and restructuring. Rediscovery and redefinition as opposed to being defined by physical symptoms marked this life phase. Implications of study findings are discussed within the context of an emerging biopsychosocial perspective of midlife and menopause transition.
authors.affiliation: University of Michigan, School of Nursing, Ann Arbor 48109, USA. avillarr@umich.edu
authors.forename: Antonia M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Villarruel
authors.forename: Sioban D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Harlow
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: MaryFran
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sowers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008593:Menopause / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged / Q000523:psychology; D014505:Urban Population