Journal of Mid-life Health最新文献

Background: Quality of life (QOL) among elderly individuals in long-term care (LTC) facilities encompasses several dimensions, ranging from social interaction, health status, and support systems. With the aging of populations across the globe, the identification of factors that influence QOL among elderly residents in LTC facilities provides a key factor to enhance care delivery and better well-being.

Objective: The study examines the QOL of elderly people in LTC facilities in Chennai, India, and identifies factors that affect their well-being in physical, psychological, as well as social arenas. Assessment could be beneficial in tailoring care.

Methodology: A 2-year cross-sectional study among 302 elderly people with an age group of >60 years residing in selected LTC facilities in the city of Chennai was evaluated using a structured questionnaire eliciting sociodemographic characteristics and health status, for which QOL was determined on the World Health Organization QOL-BREF scale. The data were collected, and results of the study were analyzed through SPSS with the aid of descriptive and inferential statistics to establish significant influences on QOL.

Results: Physical and psychological domains of QOL were notably low among residents experiencing health problems, social isolation, and lack of personalized care. Those with high QOL scores have received consistent social support and retained autonomy. The findings are consistent with earlier research stating that social engagement and enough hours of care are important for improvement in the QOL in LTC.

Conclusion: The research also strengthens support systems, formal programs of organized social activities, and adequate personnel in LTC facilities, among other things, to enhance the QOL in the elderly. All these should be enhanced to provide a more supportive and fulfilling environment.

Background: The study aims to compare menopausal women's attitudes and religious orientations toward menopause.

Materials and methods: The population of this descriptive study consists of women in the menopausal period. The sample consists of 73 women determined using the G*Power program. To collect the data, a descriptive information form, the Religious Attitude Scale (RAS), and the Attitude for Menopause Scale were used. The statistical significance level was considered 0.05 in all analyses.

Results: According to the results, the mean age of menopause was 48.18 ± 43.05, the mean score of attitudes for menopause was 63.98, the mean score of RAS was 60.93, and accordingly women's attitudes and religious orientations toward menopause were at a high level. 82.2% of the women received information about the menopause period, 52.8% perceived menopause as a normal period, and 46.6% experienced mixed feelings. 23.3% prayed to alleviate menopausal symptoms. In this study, no significant difference was determined between women's attitudes toward menopause and their religious orientations.

Conclusion: Women's attitudes toward menopause and their religious orientation were found to be high in this study. Women's awareness of the period is high, and they prefer religious orientations to cope with symptoms.

Introduction: Postmenopausal women often face Vitamin B12 deficiency, a condition crucial for neurological health. Sensorimotor deficits, which affect sensory and motor functions, are common in this demographic and can lead to falls, reduced mobility, and decreased quality of life. This study aims to investigate the correlation between Vitamin B12 deficiency and sensorimotor deficits in postmenopausal women.

Materials and methods: The study was conducted, focusing on postmenopausal women attending the outpatient department. This cross-sectional and observational study investigated sensorimotor deficits in 100 postmenopausal women meeting the inclusion criteria. Exclusions included histories of orthopedic surgeries, paralysis, thalassemia, diabetes, and uncontrolled hypertension. Blood samples were collected to assess Vitamin B12 levels sensorimotor assessments included pain evaluation with an algometer, crude touch, temperature sensation with a tuning fork and warm water, position sense with eyes closed, vibration sense with a tuning fork, discriminative sense tests, coordination assessments, and muscle evaluations for bulk, symmetry, tone, strength (graded by the Medical Research Council scale), and reflexes in both limbs.

Results: Eighteen percent of postmenopausal women were found to have a deficiency in Vitamin B12, while 82% did not have a deficiency. Among patients with Vitamin B12 deficiency, the sensory deficit was present in 52.9% patients and the motor deficit was present in 33.3% patients. The association between them was found to be statistically significant. Among patients with Vitamin B12 deficiency, sensory and motor deficit was present in 32% of patients. The association between them was found to be statistically significant.

Conclusion: In this study, we conclude that the association of sensory and motor deficits with Vitamin B12 deficiency was found to be statistically significant. The prevalence of Vitamin B12 deficiency in postmenopausal women is 18%.

The provision of quality assured reproductive care services can be of significant utility to individuals and the entire community by augmenting health outcomes. There is an immense need to encourage the participation of men in different reproductive health issues, as they share equal responsibility in various reproductive health decisions. Even though men's participation is crucial in reproductive health decisions, there have been multiple cultural barriers that have prevented them from fulfilling their roles. The lack of involvement of men in reproductive health and related decisions accounts for a major impact on the health of women, family dynamics, and public health outcomes at large. Acknowledging the impact of the cultural barriers, there is a definite need to implement public health measures to increase male participation. In conclusion, promoting men's participation in reproductive health decisions can significantly improve women's health and contribute toward creating healthier and equitable societies. This calls for the need to identify and effectively address the prevailing cultural barriers in society through the adoption of a comprehensive approach involving support from different stakeholders.

Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte imbalance observed in hospitalized as well as outdoor patients. Antidepressants such as selective serotonin receptor inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants are reported among the most common drugs causing hyponatremia, especially in the elderly and in patients with known risk factors for hyponatremia. However, there have been only a few case reports of hyponatremia associated with antidepressants such as mirtazapine and flupentixol/melitracen. The exact mechanism of hyponatremia with the use of antidepressants is not known; however, syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) is presumed to be the reason. Here, we report two cases of antidepressant drug-induced hyponatremia in two postmenopausal females with no other risk factor for hyponatremia: one associated with mirtazapine and the other with flupentixol/melitracen.

Introduction: The Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) is a widely used tool to assess the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and severity of menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women. The objective of the present study was to validate a Tamil translation of the MRS, as a Tamil translation is not available.

Methods: The Tamil translation of MRS was developed following standard methodology, and a validation study to assess psychometric properties was done at the community level in Mannar, Sri Lanka. Reliability was assessed through internal consistency and test-rest reliability. Validity was assessed using content, discriminatory, and construct validity.

Results: Internal consistency using Cronbach's α coefficient ranged from 0.74 to 0.78 and test-retest reliability assessed by weighted kappa (k) ranged from 0.51 to 0.71. Content validity was evaluated by the acceptability of items for a sample of women and gynecologists conversant in Tamil during the translation process. Discriminant validity between symptomatic and asymptomatic women was significant for all three domains: somato-vegetative, sexual, and psychological (P < 0.05). Factor analysis with exploratory principal component analysis revealed three factors that explained 55.9% of the cumulative variance, demonstrating satisfactory construct validity. A MRS total score ≥6 had a sensitivity of 81% and a specificity of 84.7% to identify symptomatic menopausal women.

Conclusion: Tamil translation of MRS retained the psychometric properties of the original questionnaire and will be an invaluable tool to assess menopausal symptoms and HRQOL among postmenopausal tamil-speaking women.

Introduction: Postmenopausal status is a known risk factors for developing metabolic syndrome (MetS). Studies focusing on establishing the relationship between Mets and mental health state are limited.

Aims and objective: To identify the frequency of MetS along with its components in geriatric females and assess its relationship with three negative emotional states (depression/anxiety/stress).

Materials and methods: Women aged ≥60 years from October 2020 to March 2022 were included in study. We used the Consensus Definition IDF and AHA/NHLBI (2009) criteria to classify subjects as having metabolic syndrome. Mental health status were assessed using Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS 21) questionnaire.

Results: The frequency of metabolic syndrome in this sample was 36.58% (30 out of 82 patients). The Depression, anxiety, stress scale and total scores in women with MetS were 14 ± 5.3, 8.5 ± 3.92, 12.13 ± 5.58 and 34.66 ± 9.60 as compared to 6.6 ± 3.7, 5.3 ± 2.49, 7.1 ± 3.12 and 19.2 ± 6.51 in those without MetS; difference being statistically significant.

Conclusion: MetS results in poor mental health state in geriatric women but large-scale studies are needed to clarify this association.

Background: Vaginal laxity and sexual dysfunction are commonly experienced by women, but are typically stigmatized and considered inappropriate to discuss openly. This study was designed to assess the effectiveness and safety of transcutaneous temperature-controlled radiofrequency (TTCRF), in addressing these concerns. The study used a single-blinded randomized sham-control design.

Aims and objectives: The aim was to study the role of TTCRF for vaginal rejuvenation using subjective and objective measurements.

Materials and methods: Two hundred parous women were randomly assigned to either a treatment group (n = 110) or a sham group (n = 90). Participants who were between 35 and 55 years of age and reported complaints of vaginal laxity, as well as those who presented symptoms such as vaginal flatus or sexual issues, were included. The treatment group was administered TTCRF therapy, whereas the sham group had a placebo procedure to ensure blinding was maintained. The outcome measures included subjective assessments, such as the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), the Vaginal Laxity Questionnaire (VLQ), the Vaginal Flatus Score (VFS), and the Vaginal Laxity and Bother Score (VLBS), as well as objective measurements, such as the Modified Oxford Score (MOS) and the Genital Hiatus (GH) questionnaire.

Results: Baseline characteristics were comparable between the groups. Significant improvements in FSFI, VLQ, and VLBS were noted in the treatment group compared to sham at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months. The MOS improvements did not reach statistical significance, suggesting potential limitations in its use as an objective measure. VFS showed improvement in both the groups, indicating a potential placebo effect. No significant changes were observed in GH. Adverse events were mild and transient, with no serious incidents reported.

Conclusion: Despite societal taboos, TTCRF demonstrated notable improvements in subjective measures of vaginal laxity and sexual dysfunction over a 6-month period. The safety and outpatient feasibility of TTCRF were established. The findings contribute to understanding the role of TTCRF in managing these sensitive concerns among women.