Menopausal symptoms and associated factors in women living with HIV in Cambodia

J Women Aging. 2020 Sep-Oct;32(5):517-536. doi: 10.1080/08952841.2019.1593773. Epub 2019 Apr 7.

Abstract

This study investigated the prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms and associated factors among women living with HIV in Cambodia. Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) assessed the menopausal symptoms, and SPSS Version 20.0 analyzed the data. The three most dominant symptoms, which were also rated the top three "severe" symptoms, were psychological: physical and mental exhaustion (91.5%), irritability (84.1%), and depressive mood (83.6%). The highest incidence was among the perimenopausal women. Severity of symptoms was associated with personal income, abortion, and intake of calcium supplements. Health-care professionals need to provide appropriate individualized interventions to maintain the social, emotional, and overall well-being of menopausal women living with HIV.

Keywords: Cambodia; HIV; Menopause Rating Scale; menopause; severity; symptom.

MeSH terms

  • Abortion, Spontaneous / epidemiology
  • Adult
  • Affect
  • Calcium / therapeutic use
  • Cambodia / epidemiology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Depression / epidemiology*
  • Fatigue / epidemiology*
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / epidemiology*
  • Hot Flashes / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Income / statistics & numerical data
  • Menopause*
  • Mental Fatigue / epidemiology
  • Middle Aged
  • Perimenopause
  • Prevalence
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Surveys and Questionnaires

Substances

  • Calcium