Does menopausal status have an effect on body mass index and blood pressure?

Aim of the study was to understand the relationship of menopausal status with BMI and blood pressure. The study area was selected through multistage sampling technique covering six districts of West Bengal, a state located at the eastern part of India. 1400 participants were selected for the study. The participants were divided into four groups on the basis of menopausal status: early and late perimenopausal; early and late postmenopausal. Results shows that menopausal status was significantly associated with Body Mass Index (BMI) and Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP), after controlling the effect of covariates such as participants' age, reproductive behavior, diet and addiction to tobacco use.

Is menopausal status related to women's attitudes toward menopause and aging?

The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between menopausal status and attitudes toward menopause and aging. We identified 1,400 Bengali Hindu women aged 40-55 years (early perimenopausal n = 445; late perimenopausal n = 240; early postmenopausal n = 285; late postmenopausal n = 430) from West Bengal, India. Information on attitudes toward menopause and aging was collected from March 2009 to July 2012 using ten agree/disagree statements, of which three were positive, four were negative, and the rest were neutral. We used only the positive and negative statements in the analyses. The participants were given three response options for each statement: (1) agreed, (2) disagreed, and (3) felt neutral. Agreement with positive statements and disagreement with negative statements were scored as 3. The converse responses were scored as 1. Neutral responses were not scored. Thus, the total attitude score for each participant ranged from 7 to 21. Additionally, data on sociodemographic and reproductive variables, menopausal symptoms, and perceptions toward menopause were also collected. Multivariable analyses (ANCOVA) showed that postmenopausal women had more positive attitudes toward menopause and aging than perimenopausal women. Providing balanced information about menopause and aging might help to foster positive attitudes toward menopause.

Pattern of clustering of menopausal problems: A study with a Bengali Hindu ethnic group.

We attempted to find out how menopausal problems cluster with each other. The study was conducted among a group of women belonging to a Bengali-speaking Hindu ethnic group of West Bengal, a state located in Eastern India. We recruited 1,400 participants for the study. Information on sociodemographic aspects and menopausal problems were collected from these participants with the help of a pretested questionnaire. Results of cluster analysis showed that vasomotor, vaginal, and urinary problems cluster together, separately from physical and psychosomatic problems.

A study on the relationship of sociocultural characteristics, menstrual hygiene practices and gynaecological problems among adolescent girls in Eastern India.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to understand the relationship of socioeconomic characteristics, menstrual hygiene practices and gynaecological problems among adolescent girls residing in rural and urban areas in the state of West Bengal, India. METHODS: The study was based on a sample of 715 adolescent girls from rural (325) and urban (390) areas of West Bengal, a state in Eastern India. These girls belong to the Bengali-speaking Hindu community. Data on socioeconomic characteristics, menstrual hygiene practices (such as type of absorbents used and mode of cleaning of genitals during days of menstrual discharge) and gynaecological problems were collected using pretested questionnaires. RESULTS: Rural and urban girls differ (p<0.01) for age at menarche, menstrual hygiene practices and prevalence of gynaecological problems. Urban girls have better menstrual hygiene practices (ß=0.343, p<0.01) than rural girls. A similar trend is noted for gynaecological problems (ß=0.080, p<0.01) among the study participants. Apart from socioeconomic characteristics, menstrual hygiene (ß=-0.121, p<0.01) remains a significant predictor of gynaecological problems. The results of path analysis also indicate that girls of higher socioeconomic status have better menstrual hygiene practices which subsequently reduce the prevalence of gynaecological problems among them. CONCLUSION: A concerted effort from parents, educational institutions and existing healthcare institutions along with media may ensure safe and secure reproductive health prospects for adolescents in the region.

Menopausal Symptoms and Its Correlates: A Study on Tribe and Caste Population of East India.

Present study aimed to compare the incidence of menopausal problems and concomitants between tribe and caste population. This cross section study was conducted in five villages of West Bengal, a state in the eastern part of India. This study was conducted between two different ethnic groups-one of the "Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PTG)" of India named as "Lodha" and the other was a Bengali speaking caste population. A total number of 313 participants were finally recruited for this study. Study participants were married, had at least one child, had no major gynaecological problems, and had stopped menstrual bleeding spontaneously for at least 1 year. Additionally, data on sociodemographic status and menstrual and reproductive history were collected using a pretested questionnaire/schedule. Bivariate analyses (chi square test) revealed that significantly more number of caste participants suffered from urinary problems than their tribe counterpart. The reverse trend has been noticed for the frequency of vaginal problems. Multivariate analyses (binary logistic regression) show that sociodemographic variables and menstrual and reproductive history of the present study participants seem to be the concomitants of menopausal symptoms. Tribe and caste study population significantly differed with respect to the estrogen deficient menopausal problems and the concomitants to these problems.

Factors that discriminate age at menopause: A study of Bengali Hindu women of West Bengal.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the factors that discriminate different menopausal age groups. METHODS: We selected 715 postmenopausal Bengali-speaking Hindu women from the State of West Bengal, India, who were married and had at least one child. We divided the participants into three groups based on the age at which they attained menopause: Group 1 (30-39 years), Group 2 (40-49 years), and Group 3 (50-55 years). A well-tested questionnaire was used to collect information on reproductive variables. RESULTS: We applied discriminant function analysis to identify the factors associated with different ages at menopause. Results show that factors like age at menarche, duration of breastfeeding of the last child, and age at first pregnancy discriminate the different menopausal age groups. CONCLUSION: We concluded that reproductive factors discriminate the three different menopausal age groups for this study population.

Vasomotor and urogenital problems at midlife: a study on rural and urban women in India.

BACKGROUND: During the transition to menopause, women experience symptoms which vary widely. This variation is attributed not only to the hormonal change, but also to the effect of socio-demographic and reproductive factors. AIM: The present research aimed to (a) find out the rural-urban difference in experiencing menopausal problems at peri-menopausal and post-menopausal stages and (b) to identify the factors associated with these problems. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In total, 1400 Bengali speaking, Hindu women, aged 40-55 years were selected from rural and urban areas of West Bengal. Data on socio-demographic and reproductive variables and menopausal problems were collected using appropriate tools. RESULTS: Bivariate analysis finds a rural-urban difference for vasomotor, urinary and vaginal problems (p ≤ 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed socio-demographic and reproductive factors were significantly (p ≤ 0.005) associated with vasomotor (age at menarche, menopausal and residential status, duration of breastfeeding, menstrual discharge type, use of OCP, sterilization and BMI), urinary (ages at menarche and marriage, menstrual bleeding length, use of OCP, menopausal status, monthly household expenditure and BMI) and vaginal (type of menstrual discharge, menopausal status, educational level, monthly household expenditure and BMI) problems for this study group. CONCLUSIONS: Socio-demographic and reproductive factors seem to be significantly associated with menopausal problems. Residential status appears to be a confounder variable for menopausal problems.

Attitude toward menopause and aging: a study on postmenopausal women of West Bengal.

We examined the attitude of postmenopausal women toward menopause and aging with respect to sociodemographic variables and postmenopausal years. Four hundred and eighty postmenopausal women representing Bengali-speaking Hindu ethnic group of West Bengal, India were interviewed about their attitude toward menopause and aging. Information on sociodemographic and reproductive characteristics and menopausal symptoms were also collected. The participants were categorized into four groups based on postmenopausal years (Group 1: ≤2; Group 2: >2 to ≤5; Group 3: >5 to ≤8; and Group 4: >8). The attitude did not differ significantly among different groups, but it differed significantly when compared for residential status and per capita monthly household expenditure (pooled groups), for residential and educational status (Groups 3 and 4), and per capita monthly household expenditure (Group 3). Hierarchical linear regression (stepwise) shows per capita monthly expenditure, age at menopause, years after menopause, and menopausal symptoms (irritability and inability to hold urine) significantly predict attitude.