title: Determinants of severity of menopausal symptoms among Saudi women in Riyadh city.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the relationship between sociodemographic, reproductive and lifestyle factors and the severity of menopausal symptoms among Saudi women attending a university hospital in Riyadh city.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was carried out during 2010 in Riyadh city. Women aged > 40 years attending or accompanying their relatives in outpatient clinics in King Khalid University Hospital were invited to participate in the study. The English version of the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) was used to assess the severity of menopausal symptoms after translation and validation on a sample of 30 women.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 490 women were included. Severe urogenital symptoms were more common among housewives compared to working women (odds ratio (OR) 2.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12-4.68) and women living in apartments or small houses compared to women living in villas (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.90-2.64). Nulliparous women had more severe somatic symptoms compared to those who had been pregnant (OR 2.83, 95% CI 1.10-7.69). Women who exercised regularly were less likely to experience severe somatic and urogenital symptoms (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.37-0.86; OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.44-0.98, respectively). Obese women experienced more severe psychosomatic symptoms compared to those of normal body mass index (OR 2.01, 95% CI 0.96-4.93).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women who are housewives, living in apartments, not exercising regularly and obese are more likely to suffer from severe symptoms of menopause.
authors: * Princess Nora Chair for Women's Health Research, College of Medicine, King Saud University.
authors: J M
authors: JM
authors: Alquaiz
authors: A R
authors: AR
authors: Siddiqui
authors: S A
authors: SA
authors: Tayel
authors: F A
authors: FA
authors: Habib
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D052776:Female Urogenital Diseases; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011788:Quality of Life; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014931:Women, Working