| Background: Physical activity (PA) programs are inexpensive, non-pharmaceutical and
universally accessible options with demonstrated efficacy in reducing menopausal symptoms.
The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a behavioral strategy for initiating
and sustaining PA with the hope to reduce or eliminate menopausal symptoms.
Methods: Menopausal and perimenopausal women (n=190) were randomly assigned to
intervention (n=95) and non-intervention (n=95) groups using a random-numbers table. The
intervention group consisted of 18 neighborhood network subgroups, each consisting of five
to six women known to one another. They participated in a 12-week regular PA program,
augmented by eight interactive group education and discussion sessions. The Menopause Rating
Scale (MRS) self-report instrument was used to determine perceived severity of menopausal
symptoms.
Results: The intervention group showed a significant reduction in the frequency and severity
of menopausal symptoms (P<0.001). Those whose symptoms rated severe/very severe for hot
flushes were reduced from 30.1% to 11.8%. Also, participants whose sleep problems and joint
discomfort rated severe/very severe declined from 28% to 6.5% and joint discomfort rated
severe or very severe was reduced from 52.7% to 4.4%, respectively. Conversely in the nonintervention group, hot flushes, sleep problems and joint problems got significantly worse
(P<0.05).
Conclusion: Implementing educational program that increases awareness of PA benefits
in combination with existing neighborhood networks that facilitate communication and
cooperation may increase PA levels and decrease menopausal symptoms. Such networks offer a
low-cost means of improving quality of life (QOL) for perimenopausal and menopausal women. |