Effect Of Menopause Education On Spouses’ Perception Of Menopause And Support To Perimenopausal Partners

Abstract

Every woman who lives long enough will experience menopause, male spouse’s perception of menopause and support needs of women during the menopausal transition can greatly influence a woman's experience of menopause. This study aimed to assess the effect of menopause education on spouses' perceptions of menopause and support needs of perimenopausal women. A pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design was employed using two selected churches in independence layout, Enugu State, Nigeria. Sixty-one men who met the inclusion criteria were purposively selected for the study. Data were collected at two points (pretest and posttest) using a researcher-developed questionnaire. Following the pretest, a menopause education intervention was provided to the participant. Six weeks later, post-test questions were administered. The data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that prior to the menopause education intervention, spouses had poor perception of menopause (2.22±0.62) and the support needs of women (2.29±0.41). After the intervention, there was a notable improvement in their perceptions, with scores rising to (3.45±0.31) for menopause and (3.67±0.21) for women's support needs. Additionally, the study identified a significant difference between pre-intervention and post-intervention perceptions regarding the physiological and emotional changes experienced by perimenopausal women (p < .001) and their support needs (p < .001). Consequently, it is recommended that more educational programs be implemented to enhance spouses' understanding of menopause and the support needs required by women during the menopause transition.