Investigation on climacteric care among women in poverty-stricken zone of Qinghai province

Objective To investigate the hea lth situation among women in poverty area in order to offer reference basis for carrying out health promotion.Methods As tructured questionnaire survey was conducted among 485 women aged 40-60 years selected by randomized cluster sampling in Huzhu county,Qinghai province.The content of questionnaire included general situation,menstruation history,menopausal symptoms,the situation of climacteric care and sexual life.Kupperman's index was used to assess the menopausal symptoms.Results The incidence of menopausal syndrome was 87.63%,and 16.1% of the women knew about climacteric.Only 6.39% of the women had physical examniation.Numbers of gestation and labour were risk factors for the understanding of climacte ricand ORs were 1.86 and 2.31(P<0.05)respectively.Good educations,table income,residential environment and close family relationship were protective factors and the ORs ranged from 0145 to 0.65(P<0.05).The incidence of menop ausal syndrome in women with sexual life was lower than that of women without sexual life.Conclusion Most of women in poverty a realack knowledge and awareness of climacteric care and the health education in mid-life women should be improved.