Development and validation of a menopausal health education training programme for women

Abstract

Background:

Menopause is a significant phase in a woman’s life, typically occurring between the age of 45 and 55, with physical, physiological, social and psychological effects on a woman’s well-being.

Objective:

This study aimed to develop and validate a Menopausal Health Education and Training Program (MHETP), and to determine its effects on the knowledge, attitudes and health-promoting lifestyle behaviours of women.

Methods:

This was a descriptive analytical study conducted with school teachers in Pakistan. In Phase I of the work, the MHETP was designed. In Phase II, face and content validity were assessed by nine experts from women’s health physiotherapy and gynaecology. Pilot testing occurred in Phase III with n = 24 menopausal women assigned to experimental and control groups, receiving supervised education sessions and written materials versus written printed materials only. Outcomes were measured at baseline, week 2 and week 4 and were assessed using the Menopause Knowledge Questionnaire(MKQ), the Menopause Attitude Scale (MAS), the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP II) and the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS).

Results:

A content validity index was calculated for the 28 sections of the MHETP content. There was no significant difference in MKQ, MAS, HPLP II and MRS scores (p > .05) between groups over the three time periods, although there was a significant within-group improvement (p < 0.05) in these scores from baseline to weeks 2 and 4.

Conclusion:

In this pilot study, a validated MHETP significantly improved knowledge, attitudes, lifestyle behaviours and symptom scores in menopausal women. The initial findings support the significance and applicability of a culturally adapted menopause education programme for women in Pakistan but indicate the need for further research to confirm the findings documented here and the programme’s potential for wider use.