Health issues of menopausal women in North India

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the health status, age of menopause, and its symptomatology amongst Himachali middle-aged women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A community based cross-sectional study was done from Jul 07 to Jan 08. A structured questionnaire was given to 100 menopausal women from general community of Himachal Pradesh in Shimla. RESULTS: Mean age of menopause was 44.54 years. Main symptoms associated with menopause were reported as fatigue (62%), hot flashes (56%), Cold sweats (52%), and backaches (51%). Other ailments associated with menopause were arthritis (25%), hypertension (23%), and diabetes (6%). CONCLUSION: Mean age of menopause was 44.54 years. Chief comorbid conditions were arthritis and hypertension.