- 期刊
- OpenAccess
Age at Natural Menopause among Nigerian Women in Zaria, Nigeria
並列摘要
Menopause and the age of its onset are associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease and some cancers. The age at natural menopause and some variables (blood pressure, body mass index, educational level and parity) were investigated by a questionnaire survey of Nigerian women in Zaria. Data was collected from 88 women aged 40-65 years (mean age 53.59 ± 0.65 years) which included their weight (kg), height (m) and blood pressure (mmHg) using standard methods. Data was presented as mean ± SEM and frequencies while results were analysed with ANOVA and correlation between variables determined. The mean and median ages at menopause were 46.16 ± 0.37 and 46.0 years, respectively. A significant positive correlation (0.263) was found between menopausal age and parity (p ＜ 0.05). On the other hand, a negative relationship was established between menopausal age with diastolic blood pressure (-0.021) and the body mass index (0.041) which was however not significant (p ＞ 0.05). An increase in educational attainment was associated with lower age at menopause but was not statistically significant. Earlier onset of natural menopause among Nigerian women in Zaria is strongly associated with parity and inversely associated with body mass index and the diastolic blood pressure. This study provides some insight into the determinants of age at menopause among women in Zaria. We recommend longitudinal studies encompassing other variables.