PREVALENCE OF SYMPTOMS AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS MENOPAUSE IN MIDLIFE FEMALE POPULATION IN ALBANIA

Background: Menopause is an important lifestage accompanied with various symptoms. Women have different attitudes towards this change and it is essential to explore and know the variability of symptoms, so to implement programs that will help women to cope better. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the distribution of symptoms and attitudes in midlife women in transitioning Albania. Methodology: The study was conducted in Tirana and some rural areas around in 2016. Sample included 1207 women aged 45-64 years old and for data collection we used a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire included 21 most frequent symptoms of menopause and a section on attitudes towards the phenomenon. Results: Overall, the prevalence of menopausal symptoms in women in Albania is low. The most frequently reported symptoms include forgetfulness (26.3%), hot flushes(25.9%), frequent headaches(23.3%), aching joints(21.6%) and stomach bloating(21.0%). The majority of women don't see menopause as a disorder and 51.7% see it as a positive event. Instead, 37.9 % don't know how to qualify the importance of HRT, while 33% of all women respond positively to the usage of HRT. Conclusions: As all around the world, in Albania women report various symptoms that can influence the quality of life, but it is important the fact women don't see menopause as a disease. Although, the numbers infer that more information should be distributed to all women regarding HRT and menopause in general.