Little attention has been given to the treatment of menopausal
symptoms in Africa. Reasons for this include the hot tropical climate
and febrile illnesses that mask hot flushes, large bone mass of black
women offering inherent protection against osteoporosis-induced
fractures, and an extended family system contributing to women’s
psychological adjustment to menopause [1]. However, there is
growing concern that these assumptions may not be true and that a
significant proportion of menopausal women may be tolerating
reproductive health burden in silence [2].
It is imperative, therefore, to assess how well women adapt
to menopausal symptoms to provide information that may guide
policy formulation and enlighten clinicians to pay more attention to
women’s plight.
The present community-based study was conducted in Ile-Ife,
Southwest Nigeria, from July to October, 2011, after ethical approval
had been obtained. Ile-Ife is inhabited by the Yoruba, with a population
of 644 373 at the 2006 census. The target study group comprised
women who had experienced at least 24 months of natural
menopause.