Abstract

Introduction: With the increase in life expectancy today, the time women spend in menopause has also increased. Understanding women and identifying the symptoms they are experiencing is very important during this period. The main objective of this study is to identify which symptoms are more frequently observed in menopausal women presenting to primary care and to determine the impact of these symptoms on women's depression levels and quality of life.
Method: This study was conducted online and face-to-face with 400 menopausal women who agreed to participate, recruited from Family Health Centers in Adana Province between January 1, 2023, and May 31, 2023. Participants were administered the Sociodemographic Data Form, the SF-36 Quality of Life Scale, the Beck Depression Scale (BDS), and the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS).
Findings: The median age of the 400 participants in the study was 54. The most common menopause symptoms among participants were hot flashes, sweating, and irritability; the least common symptoms were heart problems and sexual issues. No significant difference was found in terms of marital status, having children, the person they live with, smoking status, or the way they entered menopause using the scales we employed. A positive correlation was found between BDS and MRS scores, and a negative correlation was found with SF-36 Quality of Life, indicating the presence of chronic illness. It was found that women whose sexual relationships with their husbands were affected after menopause had higher BDS and MRS scores, while their SF-36 Quality of Life scores were lower. A positive correlation was found between BDS and MRS. A negative correlation was found between SF-36 Quality of Life and BDS. A negative correlation was found between the SF-36 Quality of Life and the MRS.
Conclusion: The symptoms experienced during menopause negatively impact women's quality of life, physical and mental health. Family physicians, who need to approach individuals from a biopsychosocial perspective, play an important role in identifying and managing priority areas for the delivery of healthcare services for women's health.

Key words: Depression, Menopause, Menopause symptoms, Quality of life, Sexual Relationship