Subethnic Differences in the Menopausal Symptom Experience of Asian American Midlife Women

PURPOSE: To compare the menopausal symptom experiences of subethnic groups of Asian American midlife women. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study among 91 Asian American women online. Questions about background characteristics, ethnic identity, and health and menopausal status, and the Midlife Women's Symptom Index were used. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. FINDINGS: The most frequently reported and the most severe symptoms differed by subethnicity. The total number of symptoms differed by subethnicity, as did total severity scores for the symptoms. DISCUSSION: Researchers and clinicians should be aware of subethnic differences.