Influence of psycho-social factors on climacteric symptoms.
BACKGROUND
It has been suggested that psycho-social factors may be crucial in the development of climacteric symptoms.


METHODS
In order to evaluate the effect of psycho-social and biological factors on menopausal symptoms, Greene (climacterical symptoms), Cooper (psychosomatic symptoms of stress), Smilkstein (family dysfunction), Duke-UNC (social support) and Israel (life events) tests were passed to 300 Chilean women between 40 and 59 years of age. Data were evaluated with ANOVA, chi2 and logistic regression using the Epi-info package.


RESULTS
Perimenopausal women had a significant increase in stress and climacteric symptoms; however comparing with pre and postmenopausal women, tests for life events, family dysfunction or social support did not show any differences. A history of premenstrual syndrome was the main risk predictor f or climacteric symptoms (OR: 3.6, IC: 1.5-8.5; P < 0.03 ), followed by perimenopausal state (OR: 2.9, IC: 1.4-6.0; P < 0.001 ) and negative life events (OR: 2.3, IC: 1.0-5.3; P < 0.05 ). The psycho-social factors were predictors for anxiety and depression; on the other hand, perimenopausal state was a risk factor for somatic and vasomotor symptoms. During premenopause, women with regular cycles and vasomotor symptoms have more psychological symptoms and stress.


CONCLUSIONS
Climacteric symptoms that appear in the perimenopause are more intense in those women who have a biological predisposition such as premenstrual syndrome and are modulated by psycho-social factors.
Binfa
Lorena
L
Dpto. Medicina Sur, Facultad Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Hospital Barros Luco-Trudeau, Fundación PROSAM, Santiago Chile.
Castelo-Branco
Camil
C
Blümel
Juan Enrique
JE
Cancelo
María J
MJ
Bonilla
Hilda
H
Muñoz
Ingrid
I
Vergara
Vivian
V
Izaguirre
Humberto
H
Sarrá
Salvador
S
Ríos
Rodrigo Villegas
RV
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D002979:Climacteric / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008593:Menopause / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D047648:Perimenopause / Q000523:psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain