Psychosocial Factors Associated with Menopause

It is clear that clinically relevant changes in psychological and social conditions co-occur with the biological changes of menopause.1 Emerging evidence indicates that ethnic variations in attitudes toward menopause may directly influence the experience of menopause.2-5 Psychological and social influences and conditions unique to individual females appear to influence how the experience of menopause manifests in a woman's life, even altering ‘hot flashes’ and other aspects of menopause that appear completely biologic.6 Understanding the psychosocial variables associated with menopause is relevant to specialized practice in women's health physical therapy as well as to general or primary care physical therapy practice. The purpose of this commentary is to provide an update from the current literature that introduces psychological, social, and cultural factors that influence, or are associated with, women's experience with menopause, that are relevant to their clinical experiences as recipients of care by physical therapists. An evidence-based discussion is provided that addresses sexuality, depression, anxiety, social support, and ethnic variations associated with menopause. Women's health practitioners are in a position to provide a model to physical therapy colleagues regarding how to best embrace psychosocial considerations associated with female specific conditions throughout the lifespan, including those associated with menopause, and how to incorporate this model into physical therapy practice. Evidence-based suggestions for psychosocial factors worthy of consideration by physical therapists are introduced in this commentary.