Menopause has little effect on quality of life

The menopausal transition has relatively little effect on quality of life after adjusting for menopausal symptoms, medical conditions and stress, according to a study in the September/October issue of Menopause.

Nancy E. Avis, PhD, from Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC, and colleagues examined health-related quality of life (HRQL, as assessed by the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form Health Survey) at the menopausal transition in 3,302 premenopausal or perimenopausal women who were 42 to 52 years of age at baseline.

Over 7 years, and after adjusting for variables including baseline age, the researchers found that reduced role limitations (in the lowest 25%) due to physical health were more likely at late perimenopause (OR, 1.46) and postmenopause (OR, 1.49) compared with premenopause. Menopausal status was not associated with the other four subscales on the survey (bodily pain, vitality, limitations due to emotional problems, or social functioning) after adjusting for vasomotor symptoms, urine leakage, poor sleep, arthritis, depression, and stress.

Avis NE, Colvin A, Bromberger JT, et al. Change in health-related quality of life over the menopausal transition in a multiethnic cohort of middle-aged women: Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. Menopause. 2009;16:860-869.