Knowledge and perception of postmenopausal symptoms among postmenopausal women presented at the gynecological clinic of a tertiary health institution in Abakaliki

Abstract

Introduction: As life expectancy increases, most women spend a larger part of their lives in the postmenopausal state. This period is associated with other medical comorbidities which affect the quality of life. Knowledge and perception of postmenopausal symptoms could help them cope with such a situation. Aim: To determine the knowledge and perception of postmenopausal symptoms among postmenopausal women presented to the gynecological clinic of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out at the Gynecological clinic of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki. Around 408 women were administered structured questionnaires. The information obtained was analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: Majority (50%) of the respondents were 50–54 years age group and the least (6.9%) were 55–59 years. The commonest menopausal symptom reported was hot flushes by 300 (73.5%) respondents. Tiredness and vaginal dryness were reported by 188 (46.1%) and 180 (44.1%) respondents, respectively. The knowledge of hormone replacement therapy was low (7.8%). The study showed that 356 (87.3%) women have no knowledge of hormone replacement therapy. Conclusion: There is a need for educating women in the clinics regarding menopause and hormone replacement therapy which would further enable women to make informed choices about their health postmenopause.