Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #109749

Kimberly K. Vesco, MD¹, Linda Humphrey, MD, MPH¹, Elizabeth Haney, MD², and Heidi D. Nelson, MD, MPH³. (1) Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, P3HSRD, P.O. Box 1034, Portland, OR 97207, 503-273-5015, vescok@ohsu.edu, (2) Department of Internal Medicine, Oregon Health Sciences University, Mail code: 9MED, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239-3098, (3) Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Mail code: BICC, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239-3098

Objective: Throughout history it has been suggested that mood disturbances in middle-aged women are biological events of the menopausal transition. To investigate this assertion, we completed a systematic evidence review to determine the influence of menopausal stage on mood. We performed this review for the National Institutes of Health State-of-the-Science Conference on Management of Menopause Related Symptoms. Methods: We searched MEDLINE and PsycINFO (1966 through November 2004) using the MeSH headings “Climacteric,” “Menopause,” “Depression,” “Depressive Disorder,” “Mood Disorder”, “Affect,” and “Emotions” and the key word “mood.” The search focused on community-based, prospective cohort studies that evaluated midlife women transitioning through menopause. Specific inclusion and exclusion criteria were developed. All eligible studies were reviewed and relevant data were abstracted into tables and summarized descriptively. Each study was dual-rated for quality using pre-defined criteria. Results: Fourteen studies evaluated menopausal stage and mood (seven rated good-quality, four fair, and three poor). Outcomes included anxiety, depression, dysphoric or negative mood, positive mood, development of a mental disorder, psychological symptom reporting, and general mental health. Twelve of the fourteen studies found no influence of menopausal stage; two found peri-and postmenopausal women were more likely than premenopausal women to be depressed. Conclusions: Mood symptoms reported by middle-aged women cannot readily be attributed to the menopausal transition. These women should be evaluated for other potential stressors and therapy should be guided by specific mental health diagnosis.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to
• describe the influence of the menopausal transition on mood symptoms in middle-aged women
• apply this knowledge to the evaluation and treatment of menopausal women reporting mood symptoms such as depression

Keywords: Mental Health, Menopause

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.