背景︰台灣地區的女性之平均壽命已達78歲，婦女更年期大多發生在45~50歲之間，而停經平均發生在47.8歲（衛生署，1999）；目前停經年齡有逐年下降的趨勢，故女性在更年期後有三十多年的歲月，如何使多數婦女更年期能活得更健康、生活品質提高，停經成了目前熱門的話題。荷爾蒙補充療法(HRT)是醫療人員最常提供的治療；但是它的使用仍存有爭議。在許多研究HRT的同時，很少有人知道停經的經驗與可能非荷爾蒙調節的治療有關。
台灣醫界大多以荷爾蒙補充療法來處理更年期問題，但也有些研究認為不一定與荷爾蒙有直接影響關係；其中女性荷爾蒙所引發的副作用及與癌症的相關性陸續被報導，以及女性健康運動強調應視更年期為一種自然的生理過程，企圖擺脫禁忌與疾病的觀點，更有一些實證研究主張其他心理及社會文化因素如更年期態度、生活型態等也是女性身心症狀的相關因素。所以本研究試圖比較台南市更年期婦女面對更年期態度、生活型態等心理社會因素，對於生活品質與更年期症狀的影響。
研究目的︰本研究目的是要探討台南市中年婦女的停經階段與面對更年期之態度、生活型態等變項對更年期症狀的影響。並且進一步探討台南市中年婦女的停經階段、更年期症狀、更年期之態度、生活型態等變項對生活品質的影響。
研究方法︰採取兩年縱貫式研究設計，研究對象為民國92~93年由台南市地區之東區、中西區、北區等三區抽樣之360位40~60歲婦女。請鄰長協助作家庭訪視取得個案同意書與經期資料後將受試者分為停經前期、中期、後期三組，排除手術停經組後共319位婦女，其中有134位婦女於民國95年完成第二階段的施測，回收率為42.0%。兩次收案皆進行資料收集「個人基本資料」、「更年期態度量表」、「健康促進生活型態量表」、「更年期症狀量表」、「台灣簡明版世界衛生組織生活品質問卷」。
研究結果：階層迴歸分析顯示更年期負向態度與更年期性功能有顯著正相關，更年期生理健康促進生活型態與更年期身體症狀、心血管症狀有顯著負相關。更年期心理健康促進生活型態與更年期心理症狀有顯著負相關，而與生活品質的心理、社會關係、環境等三個範疇有顯著正相關。
研究結論：期許本研究在更年期症狀與生活品質的發現，可以提供國內對於中年婦女更年期症狀與生活品質之瞭解，對於影響中年婦女更年症狀與生活品質之相關因素能更多探索，以協助醫療人員推動中年婦女的健康促進的工作，及早介入處理更年期症狀與提升生活品質。

Background: Menopause is a timely issue as most women will live healthier and own better quality of life during their menopause transition. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the treatment most often offered by medical practitioners; but its use remains controversial. While there is much research on HRT, little is known about the correlates of menopause experience and possible non-hormonal leverage points for treatment. Current standards of medical practice posit the use of HRT as appropriate for most women, not just for those that experience symptoms. But there is debate over the use of HRT to treat menopause symptoms; for example the side effects of HRT have been continued to be reported in the literature. And it is becoming a hot controversial issue whether the deficiency of hormone has a negative effect on the women’s health. Some empirical reports have showed that menopause has no impact on subsequent perceived physical or mental health. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate this issue.
Objective: The study was to examine the relationship among menopausal status, lifestyle and attitudes towards menopause in regards to menopausal symptoms. We further examined the impact of menopausal status, menopausal symptoms, lifestyle and attitude towards menopause on and the quality of life (QOL) in middle-aged women in Tainan city, Taiwan.
Method: A 2-year prospective cohort study and community-based sample of 319 middle-aged women was enrolled in 2004. A total of 134 (42.0%) out of the initial sample completed the questionnaires in 2006. Socio-demographic data, scores in lifestyle, attitude towards menopause, menopausal symptoms and the quality of life were collected.
Results: A hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that menopausal status was positively correlated with the vasomotor symptoms. Negative attitude was positively correlated with sexual functions. Physical lifestyle was negatively related with the somatic symptoms. Psychological lifestyle was positively correlated with psychological symptoms. Psychological lifestyle predicted the 4 domains of QOL.
Conclusions: The results of this research will help us to know more about the menopausal symptoms and QOL in mid-aged women in Taiwan and we may apply these findings to develop interventions for preventing women’s menopausal symptoms and promoting their QOL.

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