AIM: To evaluate the effect of a health education program on climacteric women from the viewpoint of health improvement and maintenance. METHODS: Twenty-two climacteric women (aged 45-65 years) acted as the intervention group and attended six seminars about health care; data were collected by the Simplified Menopausal Index (SMI), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the MOS 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Changes in recognition action were evaluated using pre-test, post-test and follow-up questionnaires, and the activity of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) was measured by heart rate variability. Thirty women acting as controls were also given the same questionnaires. RESULTS: The SMI score was significantly improved at post-test and at follow-up compared to pre-test values, and the post-test HADS (total) score of the intervention group tended to improve. At the quality-of-life level, general post-test health perceptions significantly improved and role physical/role emotional significantly improved at follow-up. Cognitive behavioral changes in the intervention group were significantly improved according to self-reports and the ANS was also activated. CONCLUSION: The health education program changed the cognitive actions of climacteric women, which resulted in continuously improved menopausal symptoms, quality of life and autonomic nervous system activity.
AIM: To evaluate the effect of a health education program on climacteric women from the viewpoint of health improvement and maintenance. METHODS: Twenty-two climacteric women (aged 45-65 years) acted as the intervention group and attended six seminars about health care; data were collected by the Simplified Menopausal Index (SMI), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the MOS 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Changes in recognition action were evaluated using pre-test, post-test and follow-up questionnaires, and the activity of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) was measured by heart rate variability. Thirty women acting as controls were also given the same questionnaires. RESULTS: The SMI score was significantly improved at post-test and at follow-up compared to pre-test values, and the post-test HADS (total) score of the intervention group tended to improve. At the quality-of-life level, general post-test health perceptions significantly improved and role physical/role emotional significantly improved at follow-up. Cognitive behavioral changes in the intervention group were significantly improved according to self-reports and the ANS was also activated. CONCLUSION: The health education program changed the cognitive actions of climacteric women, which resulted in continuously improved menopausal symptoms, quality of life and autonomic nervous system activity.