Multimedia support for menopausal women (initial study)
Funded by the National Institute on Aging
Scientist(s):
S. Marie Harvey, PhD
,
John Noell, PhD
,
Lynne Swartz, MPH, CHES
"The change" has long been viewed in problematic terms, with midlife women feeling at the mercy of this emotional and physical transition. Focus groups and interviews conducted with African-American, Caucasian, and Hispanic women in their forties and fifties reveal concerns about managing the symptoms of menopause and a desire to come to a positive understanding of this natural part of the reproductive life cycle.
Menopause: A Multimedia Guide for Midlife Women is a CD-ROM designed to teach the basic physiology of menopause as well as address topics such as hot flashes, mood swings, and changes in sexuality. The program begins with a multi-ethnic group of women talking about menopause and how it has affected their lives. In addition to the discomforts, they also discuss some positives about this life stage such as renewed energy and feelings of independence and self assurance. A female healthcare provider is the program’s video guide, and women from the support group speak together and individually about steps they have taken to overcome menopausal difficulties.
Forty-three midlife women evaluated this CD-ROM program. Before watching The Multimedia Guide, they answered a questionnaire about their knowledge of the physiology of menopause and the management of symptoms. They also were asked questions about how confident they were in their ability to cope with the changes of menopause. After viewing the program, evaluation participants answered the same questions. A comparison of answers before and after watching The Multimedia Guide revealed that the program significantly increased viewers’ knowledge about menopause and confidence in their ability to cope. It also decreased their negative expectations about this life transition. The strength of these findings garnered Phase II funding by the National Institute on Aging for an expanded study: Multimedia support for menopausal women (expanded study).
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