THE EFFECT OF GENDER ROLES AND SEXUAL QUALITY OF LIFE ON MENOPAUSAL COMPLAINTS

Abstract

This research is conducted with the purpose of identifying the effect of gender roles and sexual quality of life on menopausal complaints. Sample of this cross-sectional research consisted of 306 women in menopausal period.The data was collected using “Personal Information Form”,“Gender Roles Attitude Scale”,“The Sexual Quality of Life-Female (SQOL-F)” and “Menopause Symptoms Rating Scale (MSRS)”.While the average age of women is 53.03±4.91 years, their average age of menopause is 48.58±3.31 years.The total average score that women get from GRAS is 47.61±8.04, total average score they get from SQOL-F is 49.12±11.87 and total average score they get from MSRS is 18.15±9.14. Total average scores they get from Somatic Complaints, Psychological Complaints and Urogenital Complaints sub-dimension of MSRS are 6.64±3.15, 7.15±4.27 and 4.35±3.00, respectively.It was determined that total and all sub-dimension score averages of MSRS increased significantly as the GRAS average score increases in women in menopausal period (p<0.05).In addition, it was also determined that average score from MSRS Urogenital Complaints sub-dimension decreased significantly as SQOL-F average score increases (p<0.05).It was determined that as equalitarian attitude level in terms of gender roles increases, complaints regarding menopausal symptoms increase and urogenital complaints experienced during menopause caused decrease in sexual quality of life