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A longitudinal population study of climacteric symptoms and their treatment in a random sample of Swedish women

Thunell, Louise LU ; Stadberg, E ; Milsom, I and Mattsson, LA (2004) In Climacteric 7(4). p.357-365
Abstract
Objectives To assess, first, the prevalence and severity of symptoms associated with the climacteric period and their treatment and, second, the prevalence of exercise, smoking and body weight in a population-based sample of Swedish women. Material and methods Prospective, longitudinal cohort study, initiated in 1992, in women aged 46, 50, 54, 58 and 62 years with a follow-up 6 years later. Information was obtained from the same women (n=3816) on both occasions using a postal questionnaire regarding sociodemographic variables, general and reproductive health, the occurrence of climacteric symptoms and their severity, and the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Results The prevalences of climacteric symptoms were as follows... (More)
Objectives To assess, first, the prevalence and severity of symptoms associated with the climacteric period and their treatment and, second, the prevalence of exercise, smoking and body weight in a population-based sample of Swedish women. Material and methods Prospective, longitudinal cohort study, initiated in 1992, in women aged 46, 50, 54, 58 and 62 years with a follow-up 6 years later. Information was obtained from the same women (n=3816) on both occasions using a postal questionnaire regarding sociodemographic variables, general and reproductive health, the occurrence of climacteric symptoms and their severity, and the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Results The prevalences of climacteric symptoms were as follows (1992/1998): vasomotor symptoms, 52%/62%; depression/irritability, 57%/65%; sleeping disturbances, 51%/69%; muscle/joint pain, 55%170%; and loss of libido, 38%/57%. HRT with medium-potency estrogens was currently being used by 34% (1992: 14%), and 12% (1992: 8%) were using low-potency estrogens. The maximum prevalence of HRT (medium-potency estrogens) use was found in the 56-year-old group, at 46% (1992: 25% in the 54-year-old group). Body mass for the whole group had increased from 66.3 to 68.9 kg. Exercise was more frequent in all age groups in 1998 compared to 1992. There was a decrease in current smokers from 32 to 26% between the two periods. Compared with 1992, the women in all five birth cohorts considered themselves to be less healthy and quality of life had decreased for the whole group. Conclusions The prevalence of symptoms associated with the climacteric period and the use of HRT had increased markedly in this longitudinal study of the same women followed between 1992 and 1998. During the same period, smoking decreased, while body weight and exercise frequency increased. (Less)
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author
; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
exercise, body mass, therapy, hormone replacement, climacteric symptoms, epidemiology, menopause
in
Climacteric
volume
7
issue
4
pages
357 - 365
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • wos:000225756000007
  • pmid:15799607
  • scopus:10944228193
ISSN
1369-7137
DOI
10.1080/13697130400001786
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
8d7e0c2f-278d-4d33-ada5-86d88233611f (old id 912271)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:10:13
date last changed
2022-01-26 23:47:31
@article{8d7e0c2f-278d-4d33-ada5-86d88233611f,
  abstract     = {{Objectives To assess, first, the prevalence and severity of symptoms associated with the climacteric period and their treatment and, second, the prevalence of exercise, smoking and body weight in a population-based sample of Swedish women. Material and methods Prospective, longitudinal cohort study, initiated in 1992, in women aged 46, 50, 54, 58 and 62 years with a follow-up 6 years later. Information was obtained from the same women (n=3816) on both occasions using a postal questionnaire regarding sociodemographic variables, general and reproductive health, the occurrence of climacteric symptoms and their severity, and the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Results The prevalences of climacteric symptoms were as follows (1992/1998): vasomotor symptoms, 52%/62%; depression/irritability, 57%/65%; sleeping disturbances, 51%/69%; muscle/joint pain, 55%170%; and loss of libido, 38%/57%. HRT with medium-potency estrogens was currently being used by 34% (1992: 14%), and 12% (1992: 8%) were using low-potency estrogens. The maximum prevalence of HRT (medium-potency estrogens) use was found in the 56-year-old group, at 46% (1992: 25% in the 54-year-old group). Body mass for the whole group had increased from 66.3 to 68.9 kg. Exercise was more frequent in all age groups in 1998 compared to 1992. There was a decrease in current smokers from 32 to 26% between the two periods. Compared with 1992, the women in all five birth cohorts considered themselves to be less healthy and quality of life had decreased for the whole group. Conclusions The prevalence of symptoms associated with the climacteric period and the use of HRT had increased markedly in this longitudinal study of the same women followed between 1992 and 1998. During the same period, smoking decreased, while body weight and exercise frequency increased.}},
  author       = {{Thunell, Louise and Stadberg, E and Milsom, I and Mattsson, LA}},
  issn         = {{1369-7137}},
  keywords     = {{exercise; body mass; therapy; hormone replacement; climacteric symptoms; epidemiology; menopause}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{357--365}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Climacteric}},
  title        = {{A longitudinal population study of climacteric symptoms and their treatment in a random sample of Swedish women}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13697130400001786}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/13697130400001786}},
  volume       = {{7}},
  year         = {{2004}},
}