Climacteric complaints among very low-income women from a tropical region of Brazil.

CONTEXT AND

OBJECTIVE

Climacteric symptoms may vary between different countries and cultures. Socioeconomic factors and climate may be implicated. The aim of this study was to identify climacteric symptomatology among very low-income Brazilian women, living in a hot and humid region.

DESIGN AND

SETTING

This cross-sectional population-based study was conducted in Cuiabá, at Júlio Müller University Hospital, a tertiary institution.

METHODS

The study enrolled 354 climacteric women. The variables analyzed were social class, symptomatology and abnormal concurrent conditions. The study was approved by the hospital's research ethics committee.

RESULTS

Sixty-five percent of the participants (232/354) were very poor and had had little schooling. The number of symptoms per woman was 8.0 +/- 5.7. Hot flushes, nervousness, forgetfulness and fatigue were each found in nearly 60.0%. Tearfulness, depression, melancholy and insomnia were also frequent. Sexual problems were reported by 25%. The most relevant concurrent abnormal conditions reported were hypertension (33.9%), obesity (26.5%), arthritis/arthrosis (15.0%) and diabetes mellitus (9.6%). Hot flushes were associated with tearfulness, nervousness and forgetfulness.

CONCLUSION

Brazilian climacteric women of low income and low schooling present multiple symptoms. Vasomotor and psychosexual symptoms were the most prevalent disorders. Hot flushes were associated with nervousness, forgetfulness and tearfulness.