J Menopausal Med.  2022 Apr;28(1):17-24. 10.6118/jmm.21034.

Comparison of Climacteric Symptoms, Quality of Life, and Self-Care Attitudes before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic

• Serra CO
• Gomes Leite PM
• Bezerra AB
• Freitas L
• Veras L
• Costa MD
• Gonçalves LLC
• Santos Maciel LYd

• KMID: 2529881
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.6118/jmm.21034

Abstract

Objectives
This study aimed to compare the climacteric symptoms, quality of life indices, and self-care attitudes in women before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Methods
This cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2020 and September 2021. The sample consisted of 342 climacteric women who were divided into two groups: before the pandemic (BP group; n = 62) and during the pandemic (DP group; n = 280). The Menopause Rating Scale and Women’s Health Questionnaire were used to measure the health-related quality of life and degree of climacteric symptoms reported by women.
Results
During the COVID-19 pandemic, women were able to decrease their somatic symptoms derived from the climacteric period (BP group: 7.84 ± 4.46, DP group: 5.94 ± 9.20; P = 0.003).
Conclusions
There was no worsening in the self-reported symptoms, quality of life, and self-care attitudes of climacteric women because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, only somatic symptoms decreased during the pandemic.

Keyword

Climacteric; COVID-19 pandemic; Menopause; Self-care