Menopausal Symptoms of Asian-American Midlife Women

Aims: Little is known about menopausal symptom experience of Asian-American midlife women because of a small number of studies among them. Furthermore, the findings of the few studies among Asian-American midlife women tended to be inconsistent. The purpose of the study was to explore menopausal symptom experience of Asian-American midlife women through a national Internet survey.

Methods: This study was a cross-sectional correlational Internet survey among 66 Asian-American midlife women recruited through Internet communities/organizations/groups for midlife women. A feminist perspective was used as the theoretical basis. The instruments included questions on background characteristics, self-reported ethnic identity, self-reported health and menopausal status, and the Midlife Women's Symptom Index. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics including ANOVA and multiple regression analyses.

Results: Significant differences in the total number and total severity of menopausal symptoms according to sub-ethnic groups were found. The most frequently experienced symptoms were different according to sub-ethnic groups. For example, the most frequently reported three symptoms among Chinese women were “decreased sexual interest (63.3%),” “forgetfulness (60.0%),” and “vision change (53.3%)” while those were “weight gain (53.3%),” “aches in the back of neck or skull (53.3%), and decreased sexual interest (53.3%) among Asian Indian women. Among the Asian-American women, the significant predictors of their menopausal symptom experience included: (a) family income (R2=.18); and (b) having a diagnosed disease (R2=.07).

Conclusion: The findings suggest that diversities in menopausal symptom experience according to sub-ethnic groups need to be considered in nursing care for Asian-American midlife women.