Introduction: Menopause is one of the most critical stages of women's lives and is a physiological event that occurs in middle age women between 40-59 years which results in physical, mental and social wellbeing and influences their quality of life. Paying attention to postmenopausal women’s quality of life can guarantee health for more than a third of their lifetime
Objective: This study aimed to determine the factors associated with specific quality of life in postmenopausal women referring to Retirement Fund in Rasht city.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 180 postmenopausal women who referred to Retirement Fund in Rasht selected by sequential sampling. Data were collected by a two part questionnaire including: researcher-made questionnaire on personal factors and Quality of Life Questionnaire Specific to Menopause (MENQOL). Results were analyzed using descriptive (frequency distribution, mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (T independent test, Chi-square, Exact Fisher test and Regression).
Results:Findings showed that the overall quality of life of postmenopausal women in 54.4% of cases was good and 45.6% of cases reported it as moderate and only one case (0.6%) reported unsatisfactory quality of life. Also samples’ quality of life in vasomotor, psychosocial and physical domain was satisfactory but reported unsatisfactory in sexual domain. Results of regression model indicated a significant relationship between quality of life and age (P=0.004), educational level (P=0.03), physical activity (P=0.03), marital satisfaction (P=0.02), employment after retirement (P=0.01), the organization covering retirement (P=0.004), not spending time with friends (P=0.004), no arthritic disease (P=0.006) and no hyperlipidemia (P=0.03).
Conclusion: Quality of life can be affected by several factors. Identifying quality of life condition of postmenopausal women is important in explaining the need for training, counseling, care and treatment of postmenopausal women and serves as basis for formulation and implementation of health care programs and further planning to improve their quality of life