Representações do corpo feminino na menopausa: estudo etnográfico em um hospital-escola brasileiro / Representaciones del cuerpo femenino en la menopausia: estudio etnográfico en un hospital-escuela brasileño / Representations of the female body in menopause: ethnographic study in a brazilian university hospital

Resumo: O pensamento científico sobre o corpo da mulher sofreu várias modificações no decorrer do tempo. Isto ocorre porque a biologia interage com a história e a cultura para produzir uma experiência única sobre a saúde. No caso específico da menopausa, ela deixou de ser entendida como uma ocorrência natural do processo de envelhecimento da mulher e passou a ser vista como uma doença que requer intervenção médica e farmacêutica. Este artigo analisa como esta nova perspectiva sobre a menopausa aparece no contexto de atendimento do Ambulatório de Menopausa do Centro de Atenção Integral à Saúde da Mulher - CAISM. Buscou-se em particular conhecer as narrativas das mulheres atendidas em função da menopausa e identificar a influência do modelo médico-científico vigente em tais narrativas. A análise se baseia em material coletado no hospital-escola durante o período de setembro de 2009 a outubro de 2010, abrangendo observações no Ambulatório de Menopausa e dos materiais informativos que lá são distribuídos, entrevistas com mulheres e profissionais de saúde, além do acompanhamento do grupo de apoio psicológico oferecido no local. São apresentadas evidências da construção do conhecimento médico-científico sobre a menopausa a partir de um padrão "masculino" de normalidade, que representa o corpo feminino como doente e inferior.

Resumen: El pensamiento científico sobre el cuerpo de la mujer sufrió varias modificaciones a lo largo del tiempo. Esto ocurre porque la biología interactúa con la historia y la cultura para producir una experiencia única sobre la salud. En el caso específico de la menopausia, la misma dejó de ser entendida como un evento natural del proceso de envejecimiento de la mujer y pasó a ser vista como una enfermedad que requiere intervención médica y farmacéutica. Este artículo analiza cómo esta nueva perspectiva sobre la menopausia aparece en el contexto de atención de la Clínica de Menopausia del Centro de Atención Integral a la Salude de la Mujer - CAISM. Se buscó conocer en particular las narrativas de las mujeres atendidas en función de la menopausia e identificar la influencia del modelo médico-científico vigente en tales narrativas. El análisis se basa en material recolectado en el hospital-escuela entre septiembre de 2009 y octubre de 2010 a partir de observaciones en la Clínica, materiales informativos allí distribuidos, entrevistas con mujeres y profesionales de la salud, y acompañamiento del grupo de apoyo psicológico allí ofrecido. Se presentan evidencias de la construcción del conocimiento médico-científico sobre la menopausia a partir de un patrón "masculino" de normalidad, que representa el cuerpo femenino como enfermo e inferior.

Abstract: Scientific thinking about the woman body has changed over time, as a result of the strong link between biology, history, and culture. In the specific case of menopause, its definition has moved from a natural occurrence of the aging process to a disease that needs medical and pharmaceutical intervention. This paper analyzes how this new perspective on menopause appears in the context of the Menopause Outpatient Facility at the Center for Women's Integral Care - CAISM. In particular, it explores the narratives of the women about menopause, and attempts to identify the role of the medical-scientific discourse on such narratives. The analysis is based on material collected at the university hospital between September 2009 and October 2010, including field observations, informative materials, interviews with women and health professionals, and participation in a psychologic support group. Evidence is provided that current medical knowledge constructs menopause from a standard of 'masculine' normalcy, and represents the female body as sick and in need of control.

Insulin Resistance as a Risk Factor for Gallbladder Stone Formation in Korean Postmenopausal Women

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The objective of this study was to determine whether insulin resistance is associated with gallbladder stone formation in Korean women based on menopausal status. METHODS: The study included 4,125 consecutive Korean subjects (30-79 years of age). Subjects who had a medical history of diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, other cardiovascular disorders, or hormone replacement therapy were excluded. The women were subdivided into two groups according to their menopausal status. RESULTS: Analysis of premenopausal women showed no significant differences in the homeostasis model of assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index between the two groups in terms of gallstone disease. The associations between the occurrence of gallbladder stones and age, obesity, abdominal obesity, hyperinsulinemia, and high HOMA-IR index were statistically significant in the analysis with postmenopausal women. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, low high density lipoprotein-cholesterol was an independent predictor of gallbladder stone formation in premenopausal women. However, the multiple logistic regression analysis also showed that age and HOMA-IR were significantly associated with gallbladder stone formation in postmenopausal women. In an additional analysis stratified by obesity, insulin resistance was a significant risk factor for gallbladder stone formation only in the abdominally obese premenopausal group. CONCLUSIONS: Insulin resistance may be associated with gallbladder stone formation in Korean postmenopausal women with abdominal obesity.

The impact of overactive bladder, stress and mixed urinary incontinence on quality of life in Thai postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the quality of life (QOL) of Thai postmenopausal women with overactive bladder (OAB), stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and mixed urinary incontinence (MUI). MATERIAL AND METHOD: A total of 420 Thai postmenopausal women (120 had SUI, 60 MUI, 120 OAB and 120 controls) were recruited QOL was assessed by the Thai version short form 36 (SF-36). RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the patients's characteristics. All domains of SF-36 in women with OAB, SUI and MUI were statistically significantly lower than the control group. OAB and MUI had lower SF-36 scores than SUI in all domains except the role of physical health. When compared between OAB and MUI, the women with MUI had lower SF-36 scores than OAB in all domains (except the physical functioning and general health). CONCLUSION: OAB, SUI and MUI had more significant impaired QOL than control. The author found a greater impact on QUL in OAB and MUI in Thai postmenopausal women.