Marije Geukes1, Johannes R Anema2, Mariëlle P van Aalst3, Renee X de Menezes4, Henk Oosterhof5. 1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nij Smellinghe Hospital, Post box 20200, 9200 DA Drachten, the Netherlands. Electronic address: m.geukes@vumc.nl. 2. Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research institute, VU University Medical Center, van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address: h.anema@vumc.nl. 3. Van Aalst Arbo Advies, Lange Singel 24, 9243 KJ Bakkeveen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: info@vanaalstarboadvies.nl. 4. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University Medical Center, van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address: r.menezes@vumc.nl. 5. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nij Smellinghe Hospital, Post box 20200, 9200 DA Drachten, the Netherlands. Electronic address: h.oosterhof@nijsmellinghe.nl.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: In this study we aimed to pilot test the hypothesis that in women who are severely bothered by their menopausal complaints, improvement of menopausal symptoms is associated with an improvement in self-perceived work ability. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study assessed the work ability of first-time attendees (n = 31) of a menopause clinic at baseline (T0) and 3-9 months follow-up (T1). All patients received care as usual according to local protocol, no interventions were applied by the researchers. Self-reported questionnaire data assessing work ability (Work Ability Index; WAI) and menopausal symptoms (Greene Climacteric Scale; GCS) were used. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Multiple linear regression was used in an exploratory analysis to examine the relationship between change in WAI score (ΔWAI) and change in menopausal symptoms (ΔGCS), after adjustment for potential confounders. Additional exploratory univariate linear regression analyses were performed to assess the associations of change in WAI score with change in the different GCS domains and with type of treatment. RESULTS: Twenty-seven out of 31 women reported improvement in work ability at follow-up (T1) (M = 30.73, SD = 6.42 respectively, M = 34.86, SD = 5.98). All women reported to be less bothered by their menopausal symptoms at T1 (M = 26.57, SD = 8.69 respectively, M = 14.73, SD = 6.36). Multivariate linear regression demonstrated a significant association between the WAI and GCS change scores after correction for confounders (beta ΔGCS = 0.283, p = 0.014). After additional adjustment for WAI at baseline, this association was no longer significant (beta ΔGCS = 0.172, p = 0.164). Change in GCS depression domain (ΔGCS depression) was significantly associated with ΔWAI, although after correction for WAI at baseline the effect of ΔGCS depression was no longer significant (beta = 0.855, p = 0.113). The WAI and GCS change scores were highly correlated, as a result their coefficients were not statistically significant separately. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment aimed at alleviating menopausal symptoms in symptomatic women could lead to improvement of menopausal symptoms along with improvement in work ability. Improvement of depressive symptoms seem particularly important for this outcome.
OBJECTIVE: In this study we aimed to pilot test the hypothesis that in women who are severely bothered by their menopausal complaints, improvement of menopausal symptoms is associated with an improvement in self-perceived work ability. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study assessed the work ability of first-time attendees (n = 31) of a menopause clinic at baseline (T0) and 3-9 months follow-up (T1). All patients received care as usual according to local protocol, no interventions were applied by the researchers. Self-reported questionnaire data assessing work ability (Work Ability Index; WAI) and menopausal symptoms (Greene Climacteric Scale; GCS) were used. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Multiple linear regression was used in an exploratory analysis to examine the relationship between change in WAI score (ΔWAI) and change in menopausal symptoms (ΔGCS), after adjustment for potential confounders. Additional exploratory univariate linear regression analyses were performed to assess the associations of change in WAI score with change in the different GCS domains and with type of treatment. RESULTS: Twenty-seven out of 31 women reported improvement in work ability at follow-up (T1) (M = 30.73, SD = 6.42 respectively, M = 34.86, SD = 5.98). All women reported to be less bothered by their menopausal symptoms at T1 (M = 26.57, SD = 8.69 respectively, M = 14.73, SD = 6.36). Multivariate linear regression demonstrated a significant association between the WAI and GCS change scores after correction for confounders (beta ΔGCS = 0.283, p = 0.014). After additional adjustment for WAI at baseline, this association was no longer significant (beta ΔGCS = 0.172, p = 0.164). Change in GCS depression domain (ΔGCS depression) was significantly associated with ΔWAI, although after correction for WAI at baseline the effect of ΔGCS depression was no longer significant (beta = 0.855, p = 0.113). The WAI and GCS change scores were highly correlated, as a result their coefficients were not statistically significant separately. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment aimed at alleviating menopausal symptoms in symptomatic women could lead to improvement of menopausal symptoms along with improvement in work ability. Improvement of depressive symptoms seem particularly important for this outcome.
Authors: Hedwig T Stenner; Julian Eigendorf; Arno Kerling; Momme Kueck; Alexander A Hanke; Johanna Boyen; Anne-Katrin Nelius; Anette Melk; Dietmar Boethig; Christoph Bara; Andres Hilfiker; Dominik Berliner; Johann Bauersachs; Denise Hilfiker-Kleiner; Jörg Eberhard; Meike Stiesch; Cordula Schippert; Axel Haverich; Uwe Tegtbur; Sven Haufe Journal: J Occup Med Toxicol Date: 2020-05-06 Impact factor: 2.646
Authors: Marjolein Verburgh; Petra Verdonk; Yolande Appelman; Monique Brood-van Zanten; Karen Nieuwenhuijsen Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-09-04 Impact factor: 3.390