Depressive symptoms in Taiwanese women during the peri- and post-menopause years: associations with demographic, health, and psychosocial characteristics

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of depressive symptoms in peri- and post-menopausal Taiwanese women, and to investigate the relation between depressive symptoms and demographic variables, chronic disease status, health habits, stress management, menopausal symptoms, and attitudes toward menopause and aging. Study design Cross-sectional study, using a purposive sample of 566 women between 45 and 60 years of age from a medical center and residential community in Southern Taiwan. Main outcome measures Demographic and health habits questionnaire, Women's Health Initiative Symptom Scale, Attitudes Toward Menopause and Aging Scale, and Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D). Results The prevalence of depressive symptoms (CES-D score ≧ 16) was 38.7% in peri- and post-menopausal Taiwanese women. Bivariate correlations and analyses of variance indicated that higher CES-D scores were related to lower family income, younger age, smoking for a greater number of years, consuming more alcohol, having multiple chronic diseases, not exercising regularly, consulting with a specialist for stress management, having more severe menopausal symptoms, and more negative attitudes toward menopause and aging. A stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that the key predictors, accounting for 33.7% of the variance, were menopausal symptoms, attitudes toward menopause and aging, family income, and chronic disease status. Conclusions Results highlight the importance of considering psychosocial factors, life style, and chronic disease management in providing health guidance for peri- and post-menopausal women to enhance their quality of life and reduce the risk of depressive symptoms.