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Abstract
As a continuation of a cross-sectional study in 1981 involving a representative sample
of 1886 women between 45 and 55 years of age, 200 pre-menopausal subjects were selected
randomly to take part in a follow-up study. Eighty-seven single measures covering
26 areas of health complaints which have been associated with the menopause in medical
textbooks were investigated. A tentative method for relating health complaints at
several time points to menopausal status is proposed. A significant number of women
reported an increase in vasomotor complaints, vaginal dryness, heart palpitations
and social dysfunction following the menopause, although many reported no change or
even a reduction in these complaints. On the other hand, a decrease in headache and
breast tenderness was noted. No significant differences were observed between the
numbers of women reporting an increase or a decrease respectively on any of the other
69 measures (20 complaints), which included anxiety, depression and irritability.
Further analyses indicated that the increase in social dysfunction was caused by hot
flushes and sweating. This paper raises a number of issues regarding the methodology
of longitudinal studies.
Keywords
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© 1992 Published by Elsevier Inc.
