Open AccessTHE MENOPAUSAL, DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND RELIGIOSITY AMONG WOMEN ATTENDING THE GYNAECOLOGY CLINIC IN A PUBLIC HOSPITAL
Author(s) -
Rosida Jelani,
Siti Khuzaimah Ahmad Sharoni
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
malaysian journal of public health medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.16
H-Index - 9
ISSN - 1675-0306
DOI - 10.37268/mjphm/vol.21/no.1/art.638
Subject(s) - medicine , religiosity , menopause , public health , logistic regression , depression (economics) , gynecology , epidemiology , marital status , obstetrics , population , psychology , nursing , social psychology , economics , macroeconomics , environmental health
Menopause is a normal development in women’s lives. Having depressive symptoms during the menopausal transition can be managed, and in many health conditions, religiosity may play an important role in reducing the severity. The objective of this study was to determine menopausal, depressive symptoms and religiosity among women attending the Gynaecology Clinic in a Public Hospital. A cross-sectional study was done at Hospital Sungai Buloh involving 232 women aged 40-60 years from January 2020 to March 2020. The Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), the Centre for Epidemiology Studies-Depression Scale-Revised (CESD-R), the Duke Religious Index (DUREL) and socio-demographic data were used as research tools in this study. The respondents were categorised as premenopausal (n=98, 42.2%), perimenopausal (n=81, 34.9%) and postmenopausal (n=53, 22.8%). The highest percentage of menopausal symptoms were muscle discomfort (56.5%), sleeping problems and lethargy (54.3%). The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 19.2%, and the results showed that unmarried women were more depressed compared to married women (p<0.05). The overall religiosity level of respondents was high (23.09±2.52). The logistic regression analysis showed that as urogenital problems arise, their depressive symptoms will also increase (p<0.05). Women who are transitioning to menopause should be assessed continuously for the severity of urogenital problems as it can impact their psychological and emotional well-being, and depressive symptoms should be assessed thoroughly especially among unmarried women.