Abstract
This study investigated the garments of middle-aged women undergoing menopause and their satisfaction with them. Data were collected through a survey of 288 middle-aged women and analyzed using SPSS 17.0. As a result (in terms of degree of symptoms) backache, arthralgia, muscular pain and heat sensation were indicated as significantly more outstanding in the menopause group rather than the menopausal transition group. As a countermeasure to physiological symptoms, a change of temperature (warming or cooling) was applied for backache and arthralgia as well as taking medicine for stomachaches and muscular pain. Body parts suffering from heat sensations were the face, back neck, chest center, waist and hip. Body parts suffering from arthralgia and muscular pain were the shoulder and hip joints. The most significant purchasing factor for menopausal women was the fit of outerwear and antibiosis in underwear; however, women not undergoing menopause selected comfortableness when moving as the most important factor. In terms of body shaping and thermoregulation function, the satisfaction degree in underwear was significantly different between the two groups. Menopausal women wanted functional underwear that provided functions such as thermoregulation, absorption of secretions, and antibiosis.
