Psychosocial factors related to climacteric symptoms of women in Tokyo

Objective: To clarify the psychosocial factors related to climacteric symptoms of Japanese women in Tokyo. Methods: Targeting 400 female Tokyo residents aged between 45 and 54, we conducted a mail-and-pick-up survey using self-recording questionnaire sheets in June 1999. The number of the subjects of the analysis was 280 (response rate: 70.0%). We carried out multiple regression analysis by using psychosocial and physiological factors as independent variables. For dependent variables, we used the total symptom point, a sum of 17 climacteric symptoms, as well as the points of a group of three symptom types obtained by factor analysis: vasomotor, neuropsychological and somatic. Results: Subjects with a spouse had a higher vasomotor symptom point than those without. Part-time workers had a lower total symptom point and a lower neuropsychological symptom point than non-working subjects. Subjects who participated in two or more social activities had a lower neuropsychological symptom point than non-participants. Those who strongly felt "menopause has a major impact on one's life" had a higher total symptom point and a higher somatic symptom point. Conclusions: As seen in previous studies, climacteric symptoms of Japanese women are often observed among women with negative attitudes toward menopause and the climacteric. A new finding was that climacteric symptoms are less seen among those with a spouse, part-time workers, and participants in two or more social activities.