Optimizing the Management of Menopause-Related Chronic Diseases in Rural Settings: A Closed-Loop "Screening-Prevention-Treatment" Model to Promote Healthy Aging - A Descriptive Study.

BACKGROUND

In rural regions, menopausal symptoms frequently coexist with chronic comorbidities (bone metabolism, cardiovascular, psychological, and urogenital disorders). A structural contradiction of high disease burden, low healthcare utilization, and fragmented management persists due to complex multidimensional barriers.

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluates a closed-loop "screening-prevention-treatment" pathway shifting the management focus from isolated symptom relief to comprehensive control of menopause-related chronic disease clusters in resource-constrained rural settings.

METHODOLOGY: A retrospective descriptive study evaluated a real-world implementation in Changshan County, integrating proactive screening into public health projects via a collaborative network. Data from 10,224 women were extracted from electronic records. The protocol used the modified Kupperman Index and sex hormone profiling for risk stratification to guide targeted interventions-from lifestyle modifications to menopausal hormone therapy (MHT)-with long-term digital follow-up.

RESULTS

Among 10,224 screened women, 2910 (28.46%) exhibited abnormal sex hormones. Of 1995 symptomatic women, 626 initiated interventions (31.37% treatment initiation rate). MHT uptake correlated with symptom severity, reaching 65.50% in the moderate and 100% in the severe group (Kupperman >30). The diagnosis-to-treatment conversion rate reached 72.09% in women aged 40-45 years. The screening yielded pleiotropic benefits, incidentally identifying 11.8 non-target abnormalities (eg, renal/hepatic dysfunction) per 100 screened women.

CONCLUSION

This closed-loop model effectively addresses fragmented care for rural menopausal women. Utilizing active screening and risk stratification significantly improves diagnostic conversion rates and resource efficiency, providing a replicable framework for managing menopause-related comorbidities and promoting healthy aging in grassroots settings.