The Relationship between Social Support, General Health Status, and Severity of Menopause Symptoms among Postmenopausal Women in Northern Iran

Background and objectives: Postmenopause is regarded as a critical stage of women’s lives. Thus, it is of utmost importance to pay much attention to women’s health status during this period. Accordingly, this study was to evaluate the severity of menopause symptoms and their relationship with general health status and social support in postmenopausal women.Materials and methods: This correlational-analytic study was conducted on a total number of ۲۰۰ postmenopausal women aged ۴۵-۶۰ years living in the city of Sari, Iran, in ۲۰۱۸-۲۰۱۹. The data collection instruments consisted of Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), Medical Outcomes Study- Social Support Survey (MOS-SS), and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). The data were also analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version ۲۱.Results: The mean age of menopause was ۴۷.۹۱. The results also showed that the correlation between general health status, social support, and severity of menopause symptoms was significant at the error level of ۰.۰۵ using the Wald Chi-squared test (p<۰.۰۵). Besides, in the final model presented, all path coefficients were significant, and there was direct relationship between social support and severity of menopause symptoms considering the mediating role of general health status.Conclusion: It was concluded that promoting social support through increased general health status could reduce menopause symptoms in postmenopausal women.

Keywords:

Social Support , General Health , Menopause Symptoms , Postmenopausal Women