Psychologic distress and natural menopause: A multiethnic community study

J.T. Bromberger, P.M. Meyer, H.M. Kravitz, B. Sommer, A. Cordal, L. Powell, P.A. Ganz and K. Sutton-Tyrrell

American Journal of Public Health, 2001, vol. 91, issue 9, 1435-1442

Abstract: Objectives. This study examined the association between psychologic distress and natural menopause in a community sample of African American, White, Chinese, Hispanic, and Japanese women participating in a national women's health study. Methods. A cohort of 16 065 women aged 40 to 55 years provided information on menstrual regularity in the previous year, psychosocial factors, health, and somatic-psychologic symptoms. Psychologic distress was defined as feeling tense, depressed, and irritable in the previous 2 weeks. Results. Rates of psychologic distress were highest in early perimenopause (28.9%) and lowest in premenopause (20.9%) and postmenopause (22%). In comparison with premenopausal women, early perimenopausal women were at a greater risk of distress, with and without adjustment for vasomotor and sleep symptoms and covariates. Odds of distress were significantly higher for Whites than for the other racial/ethnic groups. Conclusions. Psychologic distress is associated with irregular menses in midlife. It is important to determine whether distress is linked to alterations in hormone levels and to what extent a mood-hormone relationship may be influenced by socioeconomic and cultural factors.

Date: 2001
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:2001:91:9:1435-1442_5

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