title: Health education intervention in early and late postmenopausal Brazilian women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify aspects of health in postmenopausal Brazilian women using a health-related educational program provided by a multidisciplinary team as part of the primary care approach for early and late postmenopausal symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cohort was formed with 69 postmenopausal women; they were divided into groups corresponding to early (n = 32) and late postmenopause (n = 37) through gynecological and clinical evaluations. We administered the Kuppermann-Blatt Menopausal Index and the Women's Health Questionnaire before and after health education instructions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average age for the onset of menopause was 47.9 years (n = 69). Fifty women (72.5%) in this study had completed their primary education, 78.3% (n = 54) performed manual labor, and 60.9% (n = 42) showed concomitant chronic illnesses. After attending a series of health-related presentations, the mean weight of the women was reduced by 3.54% in early postmenopausal women (p < 0.001) and by 2.06% in the late postmenopausal group (p < 0.001). The mean abdominal circumference was reduced by 1.75% (p < 0.001) in the early postmenopausal group. In addition, the total score in the Kuppermann-Blatt Menopausal Index decreased by 34.38% in the early and by 33.33% in the late postmenopausal groups. According to the Women's Health Questionnaire, there was a decrease in the domain Depressive mood by 0.839 to 0.700 (p < 0.001) in the early and by 0.814 to 0.648 (p < 0.001) in the late postmenopausal groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Regardless of improving menopausal symptoms and anthropometric parameters, the effects of the multidisciplinary team activities in early postmenopausal women may be similar to those in late postmenopausal women.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology Gynecology Division, Gynecology Department at Federal University of São Paulo Medical School, Brazil.
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Esposito Sorpreso
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Laprano Vieira
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Longoni Calió
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abi Haidar
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Baracat
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Soares
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001938:Brazil; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D055105:Waist Circumference; D015431:Weight Loss; D016387:Women's Health
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids