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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Anne Marie Borchelt, BA¹, Elizabeth Conlisk, PhD¹, Francesca Cimino, MD², and Miriam Cremer, MD PhD³. (1) School of Natural Science, Hampshire College, 893 West Street, Amherst, MA 01002, 781-244-7960, aborchelt@hampshire.edu, (2) Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1975 Zonal Avenue, KAM 500, Los Angeles, CA 90089, (3) School of Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York University, 550 First Avenue, KAM 500, New York, CA 10016

BACKGROUND: Earlier age at menopause may increase women's risk for long-term adverse health outcomes, such as osteoporosis, heart disease and all-cause mortality. Many studies suggest that women in developing countries experience menopause 3-5 years earlier than women in industrialized countries (median age 50-52 years). However, most of the research from developing countries has relied on statistical methods that systematically underestimate age at menopause. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the median age at natural menopause in rural El Salvador using the preferred status quo techniques. DESIGN: A survey addressing menstrual status, reproductive history, behavioral factors, and demographicswas administered to 271 women, ages 34-75, in the rural communities of Arcatao and San Pedro Perulapan, El Salvador during January 2005. Median age at natural menopause was determined using probit analysis. Associations between behavioral, demographic, and reproductive variables and menopausal status were identified through binary logistic regression. RESULTS: The median age at natural menopause in rural El Salvador was 48.4 years (95% CI: 47.2-49.8). Education, parity, age at first birth, age at menarche, and use of injectable contraceptives were associated with menopausal status before controlling for chronological age. In age-adjusted analyses, only education remained a significant predictor of menopausal status. Women with 5 or more years of education were less likely to be post-menopausal than women with no education. (OR= .38 95% CI: 0.14, 1.00) CONCLUSIONS: Rural Salvadoran women appear to reach menopause earlier and may have increased increased risk for long-term adverse health outcomes.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this session, the participant should be able to
• Describe the importance of determining age at menopause in a population
• Explain need to control for chronological age in an analysis for correlates between age at menopause and reproductive, behavoiral, and demographic characteristics.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of using status quo techniques versus recalled ages at menopause in determining median age at menopause.

Keywords: Menopause, Developing Countries

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered