Subha Ray

Menstrual characteristics: A study of the adolescents of rural and urban West Bengal, India

Abstract Background: It has been observed that menstrual characteristics are generally influenced by lifestyle, socio-cultural and biological factors. Aim: The present study examines: (a) variation in menstrual characteristics between rural and urban adolescents; and (b) whether these characteristics can be predicted from various socio-economic variables related to place of residence. Subjects and methods: The sample of the present study constituted 715 adolescent girls from rural (325) and urban (390) areas of West Bengal, a State of India. These girls belong to a Bengali-speaking Hindu ethnic group. Data on socio-economic variables and menstrual characteristics were collected using pretested questionnaires. Results: Rural and urban adolescents differed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) with respect to age at menarche, skipped and irregular cycles, premenstrual syndrome, duration of menstrual discharge, mean number of days of peak discharge and problems related to menstrual discharge. Place of residence was found to be a significant predictor of age at menarche (β = 0.27, p < 0.01). Significant association was observed between some of the socio-economic variables and various menstrual characteristics among the study participants. Conclusions: Menstrual characteristics differ significantly between rural and urban adolescents. Moreover, various socio-economic variables pertaining to place of residence significantly affect the menstrual characteristics among adolescents.

Menopause-specific quality of life of urban women in West Bengal, India

Objective. To find out the association of menopause-specific quality of life of women with both working status and duration of postmenopausal years. Study design. We conducted a cross-sectional study on 250 postmenopausal women belonging to Bengali-speaking Hindu ethnic group, aged 47-62 years in the city of Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The participants were literate, living in wedlock with at least one surviving child, attained natural menopause at least two years ago and have never taken hormone replacement treatment. Menopause-specific quality of life was measured using a self-administered standard questionnaire (Menopause-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire, or MENQOL). MENQOL consisted of 29 menopausal symptoms (items) that are grouped under four domains. Additional information on sociodemographic aspect and reproductive history of the participants were collected using a pretested questionnaire. Main outcome measures. Both bivariate and multivariate analyses showed that menopause-specific quality of life decreases with the increase in duration of postmenopausal years. Although bivariate analysis demonstrated that working women had a better menopause-specific quality of life than their non-working counterpart, multivariate linear regression model did not corroborate to this finding. Conclusion. Duration of postmenopausal years had a significant association with menopause-specific quality of life of women.

Eating Behaviours and Body Weight Concerns among Adolescent Girls

This paper presents a global review of research done on adolescent eating behaviours and food choices and the probable factors underlying it. Worldwide adolescent girls tend to develop moderate to high level of disordered eating behaviour as a result of their excessive concern with body weight or obsession with thinness. The objective of the review is to understand the concerns over body weight and the current eating patterns of adolescent girls in the developed and developing countries.

Attitude Toward Menopause and Aging: A Study on Postmenopausal Women of West Bengal

We examined the attitude of postmenopausal women toward menopause and aging with respect to sociodemographic variables and postmenopausal years. Four hundred and eighty postmenopausal women representing Bengali-speaking Hindu ethnic group of West Bengal, India were interviewed about their attitude toward menopause and aging. Information on sociodemographic and reproductive characteristics and menopausal symptoms were also collected. The participants were categorized into four groups based on postmenopausal years (Group 1: ≤2; Group 2: >2 to ≤5; Group 3: >5 to ≤8; and Group 4: >8). The attitude did not differ significantly among different groups, but it differed significantly when compared for residential status and per capita monthly household expenditure (pooled groups), for residential and educational status (Groups 3 and 4), and per capita monthly household expenditure (Group 3). Hierarchical linear regression (stepwise) shows per capita monthly expenditure, age at menopause, years after menopause, and menopausal symptoms (irritability and inability to hold urine) significantly predict attitude.

Vasomotor and urogenital problems at midlife: a study on rural and urban women in India

Abstract Background: During the transition to menopause, women experience symptoms which vary widely. This variation is attributed not only to the hormonal change, but also to the effect of socio-demographic and reproductive factors. Aim: The present research aimed to (a) find out the rural–urban difference in experiencing menopausal problems at peri-menopausal and post-menopausal stages and (b) to identify the factors associated with these problems. Subjects and methods: In total, 1400 Bengali speaking, Hindu women, aged 40–55 years were selected from rural and urban areas of West Bengal. Data on socio-demographic and reproductive variables and menopausal problems were collected using appropriate tools. Results: Bivariate analysis finds a rural–urban difference for vasomotor, urinary and vaginal problems (p ≤ 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed socio-demographic and reproductive factors were significantly (p ≤ 0.005) associated with vasomotor (age at menarche, menopausal and residential status, duration of breastfeeding, menstrual discharge type, use of OCP, sterilization and BMI), urinary (ages at menarche and marriage, menstrual bleeding length, use of OCP, menopausal status, monthly household expenditure and BMI) and vaginal (type of menstrual discharge, menopausal status, educational level, monthly household expenditure and BMI) problems for this study group. Conclusions: Socio-demographic and reproductive factors seem to be significantly associated with menopausal problems. Residential status appears to be a confounder variable for menopausal problems.

Factors that discriminate age at menopause: A study of Bengali Hindu women of West Bengal

This study aims to investigate the factors that discriminate different menopausal age groups.

Is Menopause a Health Risk for Bengali Women?~!2009-09-13~!2009-11-08~!2010-09-02~!

Researches suggest that peoples perception about menopause largely depends on the inherent sociocultural context. In some of the developed countries of the west, menopause is viewed pessimistically. So, the understanding of this reproductive phase as a health risk and the approach to medicalise it are more pronounced in these countries. Some studies show that presently, to certain extent, people from developing countries are espousing menopause in a similar way like the west. The present study aims to understand the knowledge, attitude and perception of urban middle class women of West Ben- gal (India) toward menopause. The data have been collected on post menopausal women from their lived experience. The result shows that women of this study group are not much concerned with menopause and menopausal problems and do not perceive this reproductive episode of their life as health risk. It seems that the sociocultural perspective of the Bengali middle class epitomize menopause as uneventful. Thus, it appears that the agenda of promoting menopause as a medical model, has probably failed to penetrate the life of Bengali middle class community.

Menopause-specific quality of life of a group of urban women, West Bengal, India

Abstract Objective To find out the association of menopause-specific quality of life of women with menopausal status. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we involved 250 Bengali-speaking women of Hindu ethnic group (118 perimenopausal and 132 postmenopausal), aged 40–65 years from urban areas of North 24 Paraganas, a district of West Bengal, India. The Menopause-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire (MENQOL) consisting of 29 menopausal symptoms, grouped under four menopausal domains (vasomotor, psychosocial, physical and sexual), was used to assess menopause-specific quality of life. Scores of four menopausal domains generated a composite score of ‘Quality of Life’. Additionally, participants were also interviewed for their sociodemographic characteristics. Results Bivariate analyses showed significant difference in all the domains of menopause-specific quality of life (barring vasomotor domain) when compared for menopausal status. Results of ANCOVA showed that menopausal status was significantly associated only with the physical domain after removing the effects of sociodemographic characteristics. Conclusion Menopausal status had a significant association with the physical domain of menopause-specific quality of life of women.

Mothers’ Perceptions and Attitudes towards Maternal Morbidity in Rural West Bengal: Findings from Focus Group Discussions:

The determinants of maternal morbidity are now receiving considerable attention. A study on maternal (obstetric) morbidity was conducted in three districts of West Bengal, India, where focus group discussions (FGD) revealed women’s perceptions, knowledge and awareness of lacunae in the health system. Women’s perspectives culled through FGD need to be incorporated into health policy and administration to improve women’s reproductive healthcare and reduce mortality.

A study on the relationship of sociocultural characteristics menstrual hygiene practices and gynaecological problems among adolescent girls in Eastern India.

Abstract Objective: The present study aims to understand the relationship of socioeconomic characteristics, menstrual hygiene practices and gynaecological problems among adolescent girls residing in rural and urban areas in the state of West Bengal, India. Methods: The study was based on a sample of 715 adolescent girls from rural (325) and urban (390) areas of West Bengal, a state in Eastern India. These girls belong to the Bengali-speaking Hindu community. Data on socioeconomic characteristics, menstrual hygiene practices (such as type of absorbents used and mode of cleaning of genitals during days of menstrual discharge) and gynaecological problems were collected using pretested questionnaires. Results: Rural and urban girls differ (p<0.01) for age at menarche, menstrual hygiene practices and prevalence of gynaecological problems. Urban girls have better menstrual hygiene practices (β=0.343, p<0.01) than rural girls. A similar trend is noted for gynaecological problems (β=0.080, p<0.01) among the study participants. Apart from socioeconomic characteristics, menstrual hygiene (β=–0.121, p<0.01) remains a significant predictor of gynaecological problems. The results of path analysis also indicate that girls of higher socioeconomic status have better menstrual hygiene practices which subsequently reduce the prevalence of gynaecological problems among them. Conclusion: A concerted effort from parents, educational institutions and existing healthcare institutions along with media may ensure safe and secure reproductive health prospects for adolescents in the region.