The impact of menopausal symptoms on female healthcare workers

Menopause is a natural biological process that affects a woman's physiological, psychological and social well-being. This study is focused on assessing the knowledge and perception of menopause among women and the impact of menopausal symptoms on a woman's life. The purpose of this study was to describe the impact of menopausal symptoms on the routine life among female healthcare workers over 40 years in Teaching Hospital Batticaloa. A Descriptive Cross-Sectional study was conducted from October 2020 to September 2021 among 170 female healthcare workers over 40 years in Teaching Hospital Batticaloa. Complete enumeration was used as a sampling method and a pre-tested, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Statistical Package for the Socia l Sciences 25 (SPSS V.25) was used to enter and analyze the data. A total of 170 healthcare workers completed the questionnaire. Of the sample, 32.9% were between 45 and 49 years and 30% of the total population was in post-menopausal stage. The negative and positive attitudes regarding menopause were almost equal. Although 79.4% of women complained of suffering from menopausal symptoms, the study did not show that it affected their work and life significantly. It was noted that more women reported menopausal symptoms affecting their personal lives compared to their professional lives. Although the majority of women over 40 years suffered from menopausal symptoms, they did not report discomfort or interference of their symptoms with their profession. Creating awareness of menopausal symptoms and their management among women and, providing physical and psychological support for menopausal women are recommended.