Majid Barati - Social Determinants of Health Research Center and Department of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, IR Iran
Mohammad Ahmadpanah - Research Center for Behavioral Disorders and Substances Abuse, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, IR Iran
Samaneh Shirahmadi - Department of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, IR Iran
Saeed Bashirian - Social Determinants of Health Research Center and Department of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, IR Iran
Parisa Parsa - Chronic Diseases Care Research Center and Department of Mother and Child Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, IR Iran
Edith Holsboer-Trachsler - Psychiatric Clinics of the University of Basel, Center for Affective, Stress and Sleep Disorders, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Serge Brand - Psychiatric Clinics of the University of Basel, Center for Affective, Stress and Sleep Disorders, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Mohammad Haghighi - Research Center for Behavioral Disorders and Substances Abuse, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, IR Iran

Background: Menopause is a natural physiological event in women’s lives that can potentially have negative effects on their quality of life (QoL). Objectives: The aim of the present study was to explore the extent to which sociodemographic characteristics are related to QoL and to compare the QoL of Iranian women with that of women in other countries. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted using cluster sampling of ۲۵۰ postmenopausal women in Hamadan in the west part of Iran in ۲۰۱۴. The participants were interviewed and completed questionnaires. These methods provided data on sociodemographic characteristics and menopause-specific QoL factors (vasomotor symptoms, psychosocial symptoms, physical symptoms, and sexual satisfaction). The QoL evidence was also compared with normative data from other countries. Inferential and descriptive statistics via SPSS ۲۰.۰ software were used for data analysis. Results: The mean age of the respondents was ۵۲.۲۷ years (SD = ۳.۸۴). The average scores of their vasomotor, psychosocial, physical, and sexual dimensions were ۳.۸۶, ۲.۳۰, ۲.۴۴, and ۱.۳۵, respectively. Sociodemographic dimensions, such as smaller age, being married, having a lower education level, and having a higher number of children, were related to sexual symptoms. Vasomotor symptoms were related to lower education and lower income. Psychosocial symptoms and physical symptoms were related to hormone replacement therapy. The QoL results did not differ from the normative data from other countries. Conclusions: Sociodemographic dimensions were related to QoL, particularly to sexual satisfaction. The QoL results for postmenopausal Iranian women do not differ from results from other countries, suggesting that cultural factors do not influence QoL among postmenopausal Iranian women.

Postmenopause, Sociodemographic Status, Quality of Life