Stress and Quality of Life Among Postmenopausal Women

Present study was aimed to assess the stress and quality of life among postmenopausal women. The objectives of the study were to determine the relationship between level of stress and General quality of life among postmenopausal women and to determine the relationship between level of stress and menopause specific quality of life among postmenopausal women. The theoretical framework was based on Sr. Callista Roy’s adaptation model. A descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted. A total 300 postmenopausal women from Ambalapuzha block panchayat were selected by multistage cluster sampling. The study was conducted among postmenopausal women meeting the inclusion criteria from selected wards of Ambalapuzha block panchayat (Punnapra south and Purakkad panchats were selected randomly). The tools used for data collection were of socio personal data sheet to assess the socio personal variables, The Perceived Stress Scale to assess the level of stress among postmenopausal women, WHO-QOL BREF scale to assess the general quality of life among postmenopausal women, Modified menopause specific quality of life questionnaire (MENQOL) to assess the menopause specific quality of life among postmenopausal women. The collected data were analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings of the study revealed that the mean age of menopause among postmenopausal were 46.89 years and standard deviation was 1.653. It was found that (45.66%)of postmenopausal women had high perceived stress,13.6% had moderate stress and 40.67% had low stress. The mean score of level of stress among postmenopausal women was 20.98. It was found that,43.33% postmenopausal women had good quality of life and 28% had average quality of life and 28.67% had poor quality of life. There was significant moderate negative correlation between stress and general quality of life among postmenopausal women. It was also found that there was moderate negative correlation between stress and menopause specific quality of life. Hence the researcher concluded that strategies for managing stress can help women cope not only with menopause, but with life and also aging in general. Exercising proper diet, not smoking, reduction of stress are also effective ways to make menopause more bearable. Key words: Post menopause; Stress; Quality of life