title: Comparative analysis of quality of life women in menopause period in Poland, Greece and Belorussia using MRS Scale. Preliminary report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was the assessment of climacteric symptoms, the activity and quality of life of women in menopausal period from Poland, Greece and Belorussia using a Menopause Rating Scale (MRS).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted among women in age after 45 years, from Poland (55), Belorussia (50) and Greece (85). MRS was obtained from the Professor Heinemann from Center of Epidemiology and Health Studies in Berlin. The scoring scheme is simple, i.e. the score increases point by point with increasing severity of subjectively perceived symptoms in each of the 11 items (severity 0--no complaints, 4 scoring points--severe). The respondent provides her personal perception by checking one of 5 possible boxes of "severity" for each of the items.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mild and no complaints in similar degree were reported by all women from these three countries. We found significant (p < 0.001) differences between severe complaints reported by Greek women compared with complaints respondents from Belorussia and Poland. Moderate complaints were reported more frequently by women from Poland (32.56%) and Belorussia (34%) compared with women from Greece (28.55%). Severe complaints were noted more rarely in 1.6% Greek women compared with 2.6% Belorussian and 3% Polish respondents. No significant differences between no complainants, mild, moderate, marked and severe between women from Belorussia, Poland and Greece.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Generally we did not observe significant differences between reported complaints by women from Belorussia, Poland and Greece.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Nursing, Medical University of Białystok, Poland. kulak@hot.pl
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krajewska
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Krajewska-Kułak
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Heineman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Adraniotis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chadzopulu
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Theodosopoyloy
authors.forename: E N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Euframidu
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kruszewa
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szpakow
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jankowiak
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rolka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Klimaszewska
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kowalczuk
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kondzior
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baranowska
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D010465:Perception; D011044:Poland; D011788:Quality of Life; D002094:Republic of Belarus