Abstract

MORAES, Valdeilma Maria; VANDENBERGHE, Luc  and  SILVEIRA, Nusa de Almeida. Mood, concentrated attention and quality of life in the climacteric: A Central Brazilian study. Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2007, vol.8, n.2, pp.221-237. ISSN 1645-0086.

Women at present are estimated to pass one third of their lives in climacter ic. In this period, women present various characteristic signs and symptoms that compromise quality of life, like for example vascular-motor changes, genital-urinary atrophy, and disturbance of humor and sleep and on the long-term osteoporosis. Since approximately forty years, the signs and symptoms of climacteric have been treated with reposition of estrogen and progesterone. The results of hormonal therapy have been subject to discussion throughout the world, with certain studies showing favorable results and others showing unfavorable ones concerning health, humor and cognitive functioning. The present study evaluated two groups of eight menopausal women. The experimental group had hormonal therapy while the control group had no treatment. Both were evaluated on mood and concentration before and after a six-month interval, and participated in an interview on daily life activities, with the intention to verify factors that in interaction may influence the quality of life of women in this phase of life. The women that had hormonal therapy reported an improvement in climacteric symptoms, principally the vasomotor symptoms, libido, disposition and mood. The participants that did not have hormonal therapy worsened on scores of mood during the studied interval and neither group presented changes on test-scores of attention. The information on the daily life activities, suggests that work is an important factor of social inclusion that should be recognized as an instrument in the maintenance of self-esteem of aging persons.

Keywords : Attention; Climacteric; Hormonal therapy; Humor; Quality of life.

        · abstract in Portuguese     · text in Portuguese     · Portuguese ( pdf )