The study, to be presented Sept. 28 at the Menopause Society meeting in Philadelphia, found that caring for 15 hours or more per week, typically for an older parent or spouse and younger children, significantly increases menopausal symptoms. probability. Have more intense physical, psychological, or genitourinary symptoms (such as burning and irritation) than non-caregivers.
Caregiving Burden and Stress
About one in five adults over 18 say they are currently caring for a sick or disabled family member. According to the American Association of Retired Persons. In the United States, approximately six out of 10 caregivers are women, and the average age is 49.4 years. This is a prime time for perimenopausal symptoms, said the study’s lead author, Dr. Mariam Saadedine, a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Women’s Health at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. However, this is the first study of its kind to directly identify the relationship between duration of care and menopausal symptom burden.
Saadien said the care needs of mid-life women are expected to increase as the population ages, so there is an urgent need to improve menopausal care and support women during this transition period.
“We thought there was a link, but once we took into account factors like stress, socioeconomics and mental health, the link wasn’t as strong. To our surprise, there was still a strong association,” Saadeen said.
Caregiving is not part of the so-called social determinants of health (factors such as race, education, and income), but it clearly plays a role in the health of midlife women experiencing menopausal symptoms.
How the research is done
Data were collected through the Hormones and Experience in Aging (HERA) study, which used questionnaires from 4,295 women ages 45-60 who attended one of four Mayo Clinic locations between March and June 2021. Get primary care. Participants were asked about care status, the recipients and conditions of their care, the time spent providing care, and their daily stress levels. Of those who responded, 19.7% were currently caring for an elderly, sick, or disabled family member. The majority of caregivers were white (96.6%), partnered (77.9%), educated (93.5% with at least a college education), and employed (91.6%).
Assessment of menopausal symptoms using menopause assessment scale (MRS) includes 11 items covering physical, psychological, and genitourinary problems. Each item is rated according to severity. A physical and psychological score of 8 or higher and a genitourinary symptom score of 6 or higher are considered moderate or higher.
More care, more severe symptoms
Nearly two-fifths of women (37.6%) reported moderate or severe physical, psychological, and/or genitourinary symptoms. In this group, the intensity or frequency of symptoms worsened with increasing duration of care.
Saadeen said many women are happy to care for their loved ones, even if they work long hours. “On the other hand, sometimes you’re caring for a few hours a week and you think that’s a huge burden.”
As expected, daily stress levels were a strong predictor of systemic deterioration during menopause. However, after adjusting for all these factors, “our theory is that caregiving may actually be an independent predictor of more severe menopausal symptoms,” Saadeen said.
The need for home caregivers is only expected to grow, according to the agency Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Currently, there are seven potential family caregivers for each senior. They estimate that by 2030, there will be only four people for every older person. Saadeen recommends that women with menopausal symptoms be assessed for potential contributing factors, including the stress of caregiving, so that they can receive appropriate counselling, treatment and support. Additionally, employers need to be more aware of the health and family needs of mid-life workers so that they can provide appropriate caregiver-friendly and menopause-friendly workplace policies.
Because the study only looked at women receiving care at the Mayo Clinic, who tend to be white and have higher incomes, “we excluded those who may actually be living in worse conditions. Caregiving may actually threaten the economic stability of these women.” ,” Sa’addin said.
The researchers concluded that efforts to improve menopausal care and support women during this time are urgently needed. Additionally, they recommend that doctors who treat women with menopausal symptoms ask about possible contributing factors, including the stress of caregiving, so that women can receive appropriate counseling, treatment and support.
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