A Comparative Study on Self-care Practices between the Natural Menopause Group and the Artificial Menopause Group

자연폐경 부인과 인위적폐경 부인간의 자기건강관리에 관한 비교연구

This study was carried out to explore the illness-related activities of the menopaused women. To achieve such a purpose, sixty-six cases of the middle aged women were sampled the naturally and the artificially menopaused group respectively from 1st, Aug. to 31th, Aug. in 1988. For the collection of data, 1, 140 women aged between 45-54 were selected through stratified sampling techniques in urban and rural area. Among them the final subjects for analysis were restricted to only those who had experienced menopause naturally or artificially. And then, after control for age and education analysis was performed. The data was analysed by use of frequency, percentage, $X^2-test,$ t-test, Pearson correlation coefficiency and stop-wise multiple regression. The obtained results were as follows. I. As for the se1f-perception on menopausal symptoms, it was revealed than Korean women, neithe in naturally and artificially, accepted the change of menstruation itself as serious. This shows us that middle-aged women had positively receptive attitudes that the change of menstruation is follwed by amenorrhea. 2. The artificially menopaused group scored more than the naturally one: (I) on the self-control activities such as self-assessment, lay-consultation, fever check, pulse check and observation of vagina discharge, (2) on the self-decision activities such as hospital and pharmacy utilization, (3) on the self maintenance activities such as walking, aerobic, weight check, skin care, skin protect, calori control diet control, milk intake, vegetable intake, cold water drinking before meal, parasol use and BP check The above results lead us that the self care practices of the menopaused women revealed' coping wit I menopausal symptoms at the first level in community and must be developed by the adequate nursin intervention.