A psycho-educational program for improving women's attitudes and coping with menopause symptoms.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the impact of participation in a psycho-educational program on women's attitudes toward menopause, the perceived severity of their symptoms, and the association between the two.


METHODS
Quasi-experimental. Data were gathered at baseline and 3 months after termination of the program.


METHODS
Two health maintenance organization clinics.


METHODS
Eighty-two healthy 40- to 60-year-old women who chose to participate in the study. Thirty-six women participated in the program, and 46 women comprised the control group.


METHODS
Program participants met for 10 weekly sessions to receive information from a professional team on subjects related to menopause and to share and discuss their experiences.


METHODS
Attitudes toward menopause and severity of menopause symptoms.


RESULTS
The more negative the attitudes, the higher was the severity of symptoms. Participants reported significant improvements in attitudes and reductions in symptom severity compared to their own baseline scores and compared with the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
Participation in a program that combines delivery of information and processing of experiences on the cognitive, emotional, and social levels may improve women's attitudes toward menopause and ease the perceived severity of their symptoms, thereby increasing quality of life.
Rotem
Mina
M
Department of Nursing, School of Health Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, P.O. Box 39049, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel. mina_rotem@yahoo.com
Kushnir
Talma
T
Levine
Ruth
R
Ehrenfeld
Mally
M
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008593:Menopause / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012938:Social Perception