• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.623-634
• /
• 1994

Although the average menopausal age has not changed, women's life span has increased. Today's women live longer after their menopause than those in the past, and this calls for attention in both nursing and medical fields. Many studies have revealed how women reacted to menopause and suffered from it. But they did not discriminate the menopausal meaning and effects from the climacteric phenomena. So, this author tried to clarify what menopause itself meant to the climacteric women, by means of grounded theory methodology. The interviewees were 21 women, whose ages were between 46 and 60 years. They were selected by theoretical sampling technique, and the author tried to include all levels of important variables such as age, educational background, religion and job. Data were collected by the author through in -depth interviews and observations in July, 1994. The interviews were mostly done in the homes of the subjects, or in some cases at the author's office or in a hospital. Interviews took from 30 minutes to 2 hours. Interviews were tape recorded and transcribed later by a research assistant. Data were analyzed as gathered, by the constant comparative method proposed by Strauss and Corbin. Eleven concepts were discovered from the data, and they were grouped under six higher order categories. These six categories were "to give menopause a meaning", "to experience value change", "to have self-help strategies", "to have no strategies", "to live a life worth living", "to have a sense of powerlessness" Among these "to experionce value change" was . selected as the core category. Five major categories were systematically integrated around the core category. Women's adaptation to menopause was defined as proceeding as follows : Most women felt relief and sorrow at the same time when they faced menopause, and some only sorrow or agony. Then, they consulted with others about menopausal symptoms, or tried to think of them by themselves. Finally, they gave menopause a meaning, which was that menopause and its symptoms were natural phenomena. But menopause made women reflect on them-selves and their past lives. As they reflected on themselves, their value on life began to change. As their value changed, some women seeked self help strategies. Those self help strategies were what they had learned from collegues, professionals or mass media. The quality of their lives depended on whether they practiced self help strategies or not. Three types of lives were found. Twelve women enjoyed a life worth living, and practiced the self help strategies, because they accepted menopause a chance to change. They were characterized by a high educational level, having a professional job and a sincere faith in God. Seven women were living as usual, because they did not have the necessity to change. They were high school graduates and house wives. Two women recognized menopause a chance to change, but they did not try self help strategies. Their characteristic was low educational level. Those who did not try self help strategies complained of powerlessness to varying degrees. The educational background, full-time jobs and faith helped women adapt to menopause positively. But social support was not helpful to women's adaptation to menepause. Three hypotheses were derived from the analysis. (1) The higher the educational level, the more theneed to change. (2) Women with higher educational background will practice self help strategies more than those with lower edcational background. (3) The more women practice self help strategies, the worthier lives they will live. Suggestions for further studies are as follows. (1) Studies to test hypotheses are needed. (2) A study to find the relationship between the degree of practicing self help strategies and locus of control. (3) Spiritual approaches would better be applied to help menopausal women. (4) Education through mass media should be given mere frequently.

• Women's Health Nursing
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.287-296
• /
• 2016

Purpose: This study identified the level of marital intimacy, menopausal symptom and sexual function, and examined factors affecting sexual function in postmenopausal married women. Methods: With cross-sectional survey, a sample of 245 subjects aged 45 to 60 years was recruited from January to March, 2014. Data were collected using self-reported questionnaires which included marital intimacy questionnaire (MIQ), menopause rating scale (MRS), and female sexual function index (FSFI). Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression. Results: Marital intimacy, menopausal symptom and sexual function scores of subjects were $3.46{\pm}1.14$, $13.71{\pm}6.61$, and $12.55{\pm}8.33$, respectively. Marital intimacy and menopausal symptom were related to sexual function. Variables including marital intimacy, psychosocial and urogenital menopausal symptom, period since menopause and body mass index therapy explained 51.5% in sexual function of participants. Conclusion: When nurses plan sexual counseling and education for sexual function of postmenopausal married women, it is necessary to consider marital intimacy, menopausal symptoms, and menopause-related factors.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.138-141
• /
• 2016

The aim of this study was to diagnose the fertility of a female western lowland gorilla kept in Seoul Zoo, in accordance with age by analyzing the fecal sex hormone metabolites. The study was conducted in two period of times, when the animal was from 35 to 37 years old and when the animal was from 40 to 42 years old. Non-invasive method by using fecal samples was used for safe and efficient fertility diagnosis. We collected the feces from the enclosure at least three times a week. Then $17{\beta}$-estradiol and progesterone, which are fecal sex hormone metabolites, were measured by time-resolved fluoro-immunoassay to compare the menstruation cycle and the annual reproductive cycle. For the duration of the primary study (when the animal was 35~37 years old), irregular menstruation and high concentrations of estradiol and progesterone were observed. However, menstruation was hardly observed and the concentrations of both hormones were statistically very low in the period of secondary study (when the animal was 40~42 years old). This observed phenomenon in our study was very comparable to menopause in adult women; therefore, it was confirmed that our female gorilla has reached menopause because of the natural aging, as they become older.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2000.10a
• /
• pp.221-222
• /
• 2000

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.81-88
• /
• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Serum ferritin levels are significantly increased after menopause and greatly affect women's health. The aim of this study was to investigate the dietary and non-dietary factors associated with high ferritin levels in postmenopausal women. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Among adult women in 2010-2012, qualified postmenopausal women (n = 3880) were separated into quartiles of serum ferritin. The variable differences among the quartiles of ferritin were determined using either procsurvey chi-square test (${\chi}^2$-test) among categorical variables, or GLM (Generalized Linear Model) among continuous variables. The odds ratio for high ferritin in relation to dietary factors was also determined using procsurvery logistic analysis. RESULTS: Age, obesity, drinking habit, and blood glucose levels were found to be significant indicators of high serum ferritin level after adjusting for all confounding factors. Among the food groups, grain, milk, vegetable, and seaweed intakes were significantly associated with high ferritin levels, but after adjusting for all confounding factors, only grains and vegetables remained significant factors. Among the nutrient groups, calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin C intake were significant factors, but after adjustment, none of the nutrient groups analyzed were associated with a high risk of ferritin. CONCLUSION: Age, obesity, drinking habit, and glucose levels, as well as inadequate intakes of grains and vegetables, were found to be significantly associated with high serum ferritin levels in postmenopausal Korean women.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.197-203
• /
• 1999

A total of 216 women of natural menopause over 40 years were interviewed to find the relationships among general environmental fctors, anthropometric measurements, daily nutrient intake, and BMD. The average age of the subjects was 54.0 years. Average ages of menarche and menopause were 16.7 years and 47.7 years, respectively. In general, energy and nutrients intake of the subjects were relatively low compared to the Korean recommended dietary allowances(RDA). Specifically, intakes of energy, protein, clcium, iron, and vitamin A were lower than Korean RDA, BMD levels of lumbar spin (LS), femoral neck(FN), ward's triangle(WT), and trochanter(TC) were significantly decreased wit age in descending order of LS, FN, TC, and WT BMD, accordingly. BMD levels of FN and TC of the subjects were higher compared to those of the same age but BMD levels of LS and WT were lower than those of the same age from the general population. For factors related to BMD levels, hight, weight, BMI, and hip circumference had positive correlations with BMD. On the other hand, menarche, and WHR had negative correlations with BMD. Protein, lipid, iron, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and niacin intake among factors related nutrient intakes were positively correlated with BMD levels. Based on the stepwise regression analysis, the factors and vitamin B1 intakes. Overall, BMD was decreased with age as can be expected. For those being tall, moderately weighed, and smaller waist circumference, BMD levels were high when the relationships of body characteristics and BMD levels were considered. The higher BMD levels were found for those with high intake of protein and vitamin B1. From the findings, it is suggested that the women after menopause keep the optimum body weight and good eating habits. Specially intakes of good quality protein, vitamin B1 seemed to be important.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.483-494
• /
• 2007

Purpose: The objective of the study is to describe the experience of health care activities of the menopausal women through phenomenological methodology. Methods: Seven menopausal women participated in the study. Open in-depth interviews were used to collect data, and data were analyzed by the phenomenological methods suggested by Colaizzi. Results: The data were separated into 4 categories of uncomfortable life due to physical and emotional change, building consistency in daily life through regulating a routine rhythm, recovering normality, recovering stability, and 8 clusters of themes; securing regularity in daily life, securing availability in daily life, regulating through elimination and diminishment, regulating through supplementation, being patient and control self, expressing self, review the context and exchanging views, expending a world through one's faith. Conclusion: Participants accepted menopause not as a disease but as a natural course of life and realized that menopausal health problems could be naturally settled in general health care activities in daily life.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.692-702
• /
• 2001

Purpose: To extend the understanding on climacteric symptoms, and to improve women's health and the quality of life by providing the basic data relating to the climacteric symptoms of natural menopausal women and artificial menopausal women. Method: The subjects of this study were 149 women selected conviniently (89 natural menopausal women and 60 total hystrectomy women) who have visited the climacteric clinic of G. hospital in Inchon, the MENSI questionnaire which was developed by Sarrel (1995)was modified considering Korean culture for the measuring tool of this study with 20 items of question(Cronbach's$\alpha$ =.76), duration of data collection with the questionnaire was 5 months from Sept. 1, 2000 to Jan. 30, 2001. Result: Artificial meanopausal women showed statistically significant higher menopausal symptoms than the natural menopausal women in the most of the items, and psychiatric and urogenital symtoms of artificial menopausal women were significantly higher than those of the natural menopausal women. Conclusion: Nursing intervention for psychological support upon artificial menopausal women and their spouses is recommended more than natural menpause women.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.15-23
• /
• 1990

This study was carried out to explore the illness-related activities of the menopaused women. To achieve such a purpose, sixty-six cases of the middle aged women were sampled the naturally and the artificially menopaused group respectively from 1st, Aug. to 31th, Aug. in 1988. For the collection of data, 1, 140 women aged between 45-54 were selected through stratified sampling techniques in urban and rural area. Among them the final subjects for analysis were restricted to only those who had experienced menopause naturally or artificially. And then, after control for age and education analysis was performed. The data was analysed by use of frequency, percentage, $X^2-test,$ t-test, Pearson correlation coefficiency and stop-wise multiple regression. The obtained results were as follows. I. As for the se1f-perception on menopausal symptoms, it was revealed than Korean women, neithe in naturally and artificially, accepted the change of menstruation itself as serious. This shows us that middle-aged women had positively receptive attitudes that the change of menstruation is follwed by amenorrhea. 2. The artificially menopaused group scored more than the naturally one: (I) on the self-control activities such as self-assessment, lay-consultation, fever check, pulse check and observation of vagina discharge, (2) on the self-decision activities such as hospital and pharmacy utilization, (3) on the self maintenance activities such as walking, aerobic, weight check, skin care, skin protect, calori control diet control, milk intake, vegetable intake, cold water drinking before meal, parasol use and BP check The above results lead us that the self care practices of the menopaused women revealed' coping wit I menopausal symptoms at the first level in community and must be developed by the adequate nursin intervention.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
• /
• v.24 no.5
• /
• pp.370-374
• /
• 2016

Background: Many menopausal women suffer from health problems including metabolic diseases such as dyslipidemia and osteoporosis. Thus they need natural products and functional foods particularly highly nutritional food products, that can help alleviate these diseases. This study was carried out to determine the effect of Drynariae Rhizoma water extract on the lipid and bone metabolism of ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rats. Methods and Results: The animals were randomly divided into six dietary groups comprising SHAM-operated rats, OVX rats (normal diet), and OVX-DR rats (Drynariae Rhizoma extract). After 8 weeks, plasma, liver, and fat samples were collected to analyze the lipid metabolism, plasma Ca, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin and C-terminal telopeptide (CTx) concentrations, which are biochemical makers of bone metabolism. The left femurs of rats were also collected for histological analyses. OVX counteracted menopause induced body weight gain, as well as increases in triglycerides, total cholesterol, and free fatty acids. The Drynariae Rhizoma group showed low levels of triglycerides, high HDL-cholesterol, and decreased lipogenesis based on activity of the lipid-regulating enzymes (fatty acid synthase and malic enzyme). Decreased serum levels of ALP and osteocalcin were observed in Drynariae Rhizoma group. Conclusions: The results of this study show that Drynariae Rhizoma extract may effectively regulate hyperlipidemia and improve bone density.