ABSTRACT
Background: Climacteric symptoms have a direct relationship with biological and sociocultural factors and significantly impair the quality of life of women. Aim: To assess quality of life and factors affecting it in women aged 40 to 59 years. Material and methods: The Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) was applied to 370 healthy women aged 49 ± 6 years, that accompanied patients to public hospitals in Santiago. Results: Forty four percent of women were postmenopausal and 6 percent used hormone replacement therapy. Half of the group had less than 12 years of formal education and 67 percent had a couple. The mean number of children was 2.8 ± 1.5. Total MRS score was 16.2 ± 8.5. The higher score was given by the psychological domain (7.7 + 4.4), followed by the somatic domain (5.8 ± 3.5). The urogenital domain had the lowest score (2.7 ± 2.9). Eighty percent of women had moderate to severe climacteric symptoms. A logistic regression analysis showed that the postmenopausal condition was the factor that caused the greatest derangement in quality of life, followed by her parity. Formal education had the lowest impact. Conclusions: In this sample of women, menopause significantly deteriorated quality of life and sociocultural factors such as the parity also had an impact.
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Menopause/psychology , Quality of Life/psychology , Cohort Studies , Cross-Sectional Studies , Estrogen Replacement Therapy , Logistic Models , Menopause/drug effectsABSTRACT
Background: Pressure ulcers are a common complication among elderly patients confined to bed for long periods. The Braden scale is a commonly used risk assessment tool. Aim: To evaluate the use of Braden scale. Patients and methods: Seventy women aged 61 to 96 years, admitted to the Internal Medicine Service of Barros Luco-Trudeau Hospital, were studied. Their risk was evaluated using the Braden scale. The presence of pressure ulcer was diagnosed according to the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel on admition, two weeks later and at discharge. Results: On admission, mean Braden scale score was 16.6±2.8 and 34 women had a score of 16 or less, that is considered of risk. Twenty five women (20 with a score of 16 or less) developed pressure ulcers, mostly superficial. The odds ratio of a score of 16 or less for the development of ulcers was 4.2 (95 percent CI 1.8-11.7, p <0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of such score were 80 and 69 percent respectively. Conclusions: The Braden scale predicts the risk of developing pressure ulcers with a good sensitivity and specificity in female elderly patients (Rev MÚd Chile 2004; 132: 595-600).
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Aged , Predictive Value of Tests , Pressure Ulcer/diagnosis , Pressure Ulcer/epidemiologyABSTRACT
The loss of sexuality observed in the climacteric period is difficult to evaluate. An important advance has been the development of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), a test based on the norms of the International Consensus Development Conference on Sexual Female Dysfunctions. Aim: To study the effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on sexuality, applying the FSFI. Material and methods: The FSFI was applied to 300 healthy women between 45-64 years, sexually active, beneficiaries of the Southern Metropolitan Health Service. Results: The mean age of the sample studied was 51±5 years, 27% were HRT users, 21% had had an hysterectomy and 98% had a stable couple. The total score of the FSFI decreased from 27.3±5.8 in women between 45 and 49 years of age to 19.3±7.0 in women between 60 and 64 years (p <0.01). A significantly better sexuality was observed in HRT users, with FSFI scores of 28.1±5.5 and 24.6±6.8 in HRT users and non users, respectively (p <0.01). Women on HRT obtained a higher score in all of the test domains, especially in lubrication, orgasm and sexual satisfaction. Conclusions: Female sexuality decreases with aging. HRT users have a better sexual function than non users (Rev Méd Chile 2003; 131: 1251-55 ).