Top

Published in:

Open Access 01-12-2023 | Care | Research

The effect of mobile app-based self-care training on the quality of marital relations and the severity of menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women: a clinical trial study in Iran

Authors: Foozieh Rafati, Najme Pourshahrokhi, Raziyeh Sadat Bahador, Neda Dastyar, Akbar Mehralizadeh

Published in: BMC Women's Health | Issue 1/2023

Abstract

Background

Educational interventions for self-care are a necessary solution to help postmenopausal women properly deal with menopausal problems. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of self-care training using an application on the quality of marital relations and the severity of menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women in Iran.

Methods

In this study, 60 postmenopausal women selected using the convenience sampling method were divided into two groups, intervention and control, using simple random allocation (lottery). The intervention group used the menopause self-care application for eight weeks in addition to routine care, but the control group only received the routine care. The Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) and the Perceived Relationship Quality Components (PRQC) questionnaire were completed in two stages, before and immediately after eight weeks, in both groups. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 16), descriptive (mean and standard deviation), and inferential (ANCOVA and Bonferroni post hoc) statistics.

Results

The ANCOVA results showed that the use of the menopause self-care application decreased the severity of the participants’ menopause symptoms (P = 0.001) and improved the quality of their marital relations (P = 0.001).

Conclusion

Implementation of a self-care training program through the application helped improve the quality of marital relations and reduce the severity of postmenopausal women's symptoms, so it can be used as an effective method to prevent the unpleasant consequences of menopause.

Trial registration

The present study was registered at https://fa.irct.ir/ on 2021–05-28 (registration number: IRCT20201226049833N1).

Gebretatyos H, Ghirmai L, Amanuel S, Gebreyohannes G, Tsighe Z, Tesfamariam EH. Effect of health education on knowledge and attitude of menopause among middle-age teachers. BMC Women’s Health. 2020;20(1):1–10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-020-01095-2.CrossRef

Wang M, Gong W-W, Hu R-Y, Wang H, Guo Y, Bian Z, et al. Age at natural menopause and associated factors in adult women: findings from the China Kadoorie Biobank study in Zhejiang rural area. PloS one. 2018;13(4):e0195658. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Chaplin S. NICE guideline: diagnosis and management of the menopause. Prescriber. 2016;27(1):27–32. https://doi.org/10.1002/psb.427.CrossRef

Fan J, Yu C, Pang Y, Guo Y, Pei P, Sun Z, et al. Adherence to healthy lifestyle and attenuation of biological aging in middle-aged and older Chinese adults. The Journals of Gerontology: Series A. 2021;76(12):2232–41. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glab213.CrossRef

Hybholt M. Psychological and social health outcomes of physical activity around menopause: a scoping review of research. Maturitas. 2022:88–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2022.07.014.

Shepherd-Banigan M, Goldstein K, Coeytaux R, McDuffie J, Goode A, Kosinski A, et al. Improving vasomotor symptoms; psychological symptoms; and health-related quality of life in peri-or post-menopausal women through yoga: an umbrella systematic review and meta-analysis. Complement Ther Med. 2017;34:156–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2017.08.011.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Osman A, Ahmad Noraimi NEI, Abdul Wahab N. Healthy management of menopause: exploring issues and user requirements for mobile intervention. J Comput Res Innov (JCRINN). 2021;6(4):50–8 (https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/60631/1/.pdf).CrossRef

Formoso G, Perrone E, Maltoni S, Balduzzi S, Wilkinson J, Basevi V, et al. Short-term and long-term effects of tibolone in postmenopausal women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016;10:1–113. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD008536.pub3.CrossRef

Monterrosa-Castro A, Romero-Pérez I, Marrugo-Flórez M, Fernández-Alonso AM, Chedraui P, Pérez-López FR. Quality of life in a large cohort of mid-aged Colombian women assessed using the Cervantes Scale. Menopause. 2012;19(8):924–30. https://doi.org/10.1097/gme.0b013e318247908d.CrossRefPubMed

10.

Thieken F, Timmermann L, Sohrabi K, Woopen C, Schmitz-Luhn B, Janhsen A, et al. Development of a multidimensional assessment tool for the evaluation of holistic quality of life in Parkinson’s disease. J Parkinson’s Dis. 2022;12(Preprint):361–70. https://doi.org/10.3233/JPD-202391.CrossRef

11.

Roesch AK, Warren A, Hill E. The relationship between menopause and marital satisfaction in adult women. J Grad Educ Res. 2021;2(1):1–10 (https://scholarworks.harding.edu/jger/vol2/iss1//).

12.

Tavakol Z, Nikbakht Nasrabadi A, Behboodi Moghadam Z, Salehiniya H, Rezaei E. A review of the factors associated with marital satisfaction. Galen Med J. 2017;6(3):197–207. https://doi.org/10.31661/gmj.v6i3.641.CrossRef

13.

Sedaghatkhah A, BehzadiPoor S. Predictingthe quality of marital relationship on the base of relationship beliefs, mindfulness and psychological flexibility. Quart Women Soc. 2017;8(30):57–77 [In Persian].

14.

Karimi L, Mokhtari Seghaleh M, Khalili R, Vahedian-Azimi A. The effect of self-care education program on the severity of menopause symptoms and marital satisfaction in postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled clinical trial. BMC Womens Health. 2022;22(1):1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-022-01653-w.CrossRef

15.

Trento SRSS, Madeiro A, Rufino AC. Sexual function and associated factors in postmenopausal women. Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 2021;43:522–9. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0041-1735128.CrossRefPubMed

16.

Keawtep P, Wichayanrat W, Boripuntakul S, Chattipakorn SC, Sungkarat S. Cognitive benefits of physical exercise, physical-cognitive training, and technology-based intervention in obese individuals with and without postmenopausal condition: a narrative review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(20):13364. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013364.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

17.

Franco MM, Pena CC, de Freitas LM, Antônio FI, Lara LA, Ferreira CHJ. Pelvic floor muscle training effect in sexual function in postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial. J Sex Med. 2021;18(7):1236–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.05.005.CrossRefPubMed

18.

Noroozi E, Dolatabadi NK, Eslami AA, Hassanzadeh A, Davari S. Knowledge and attitude toward menopause phenomenon among women aged 40–45 years. J Educ Health Promot. 2013;2(1):25. https://doi.org/10.4103/2277-9531.112701.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

19.

Malik E, Sheoran P, Siddiqui A. Health-promoting behaviors and menopausal symptoms: an interventional study in rural India. J Mid-life Health. 2018;9(4):200–6. https://doi.org/10.4103/jmh.JMH_96_18.CrossRef

20.

Oluwatosin O. Primary health care nurses’ knowledge practice and client teaching of early detection measures of breast cancer in Ibadan. BMC Nurs. 2012;11:1–8. https://doi.org/10.1186/472-6955-11-22.CrossRef

21.

Sasanpour M, Azh N, Alipour M. The effect of a midwife-based group discussion education on sexual dysfunction beliefs in rural postmenopausal women. Int J Women's Health. 2020:393–7. https://doi.org/10.2147/ijwh.s242621

22.

Valizadeh S, Soheili A, Moghbeli G, Aliafsari E. Applicablity of orem’s self-care model in Iran: an integrated review. Nurs Midwifery J. 2017;15(4):313–28 [In Persian].

23.

Hossein Mirzaee Beni Z, Maasoumi R, Pashaeypoor S, Haghani S. The effects of self-care education based on the health literacy index on self-care and quality of life among menopausal women: a randomized clinical trial. BMC Women’s Health. 2022;22(1):1–10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-022-02007-2.CrossRef

24.

Mortara A, Vaira L, Palmieri V, Iacoviello M, Battistoni I, Iacovoni A, et al. Would you prescribe mobile health apps for heart failure self-care? An integrated review of commercially available mobile technology for heart failure patients. Card Fail Rev. 2020;6:1–7. https://doi.org/10.15420/cfr.2019.11.CrossRef

25.

Zou P, D’Souza D, Luo Y, Sun W, Zhang H, Yang Y. Potential effects of virtual interventions for menopause management: a systematic review. Menopause. 2022;29(9):1101–17. https://doi.org/10.1097/GME.0000000000002020.CrossRefPubMed

26.

Kashfi SM, Rakhshani T, Farhoodi S, Motlagh Z, Bagherzadeh R, Kohan N. The effect of education of physical activity via social networks on the quality of life in menopausal women: a randomized controlled trial. J Health Sci Surveill Syst. 2021;9(3):149–54. https://doi.org/10.30476/jhsss.2020.87531.1114.CrossRef

27.

Im E-O, Kim S, Ji X, Park S, Chee E, Chee W, et al. Improving menopausal symptoms through promoting physical activity: a pilot Web-based intervention study among Asian Americans. Menopause. 2017;24(6):653–62. https://doi.org/10.1097/GME.0000000000000825.CrossRefPubMed

28.

Park M-J, Kim H-S. Evaluation of mobile phone and Internet intervention on waist circumference and blood pressure in post-menopausal women with abdominal obesity. Int J Med Informatics. 2012;81(6):388–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2011.12.011.CrossRef

29.

Turner L, Shamseer L, Altman DG, Weeks L, Peters J, Kober T, et al. Consolidated standards of reporting trials (CONSORT) and the completeness of reporting of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published in medical journals. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;11:1–125. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.MR000030.pub2.CrossRef

30.

Shakiba M, Rouhbakhsh M, Kermansaravi F, Navidian A. The effect of couple counseling on severity of menopausal symptoms in women. J Hayat. 2019;25(1):25–38. http://hayat.tums.ac.ir/article-1-2816-en.html. [In Persian].

31.

Seels BB, Richey RC. Instructional technology: The definition and domains of the field. Washington DC: Association for Educational Communications and Technology; 1994.

32.

Schneider H, Heinemann L, Rosemeier H-P, Potthoff P, Behre H. The Menopause Rating Scale (MRS): reliability of scores of menopausal complaints. Climacteric. 2000;3(1):59–64. https://doi.org/10.3109/13697130009167600.CrossRefPubMed

33.

Jalili L, Yazdi Zadeh H, Sharifi N, Abedi P, Najar S, Asad Mobini E. The relationship between physical activity and the severity of menopause symptoms in menopausal women in Ahvaz, Iran. Iran J Obstet Gynecol Infertil. 2014;17(98):15–23. http://ijogi.mums.ac.ir/article_2830.html. [In Persian].

34.

Fletcher GJ, Simpson JA, Thomas G. The measurement of perceived relationship quality components: a confirmatory factor analytic approach. Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2000;26(3):340–54. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167200265007.CrossRef

35.

Navidian A, Navabi Rigi S, Imani M, Soltani P. The effect of sex education on the marital relationship quality of pregnant women. J Hayat. 2016;22(2):115–27. http://hayat.tums.ac.ir/article-1-1424-en.html. [In Persian].

36.

Dastyar N, Sarasyabi AS, Shakiba M, Navidian A. Impact of group assertiveness-based sexual training on the quality of marital relationships among female university students. J Educ Health Promotion. 2019;27(8):111–6. https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_440_18.CrossRef

37.

Rathnayake N, Alwis G, Lenora J, Mampitiya I, Lekamwasam S. Effect of health-promoting lifestyle modification education on knowledge, attitude, and quality of life of postmenopausal women. BioMed Res Int. 2020;2020:1–11. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/3572903.

38.

Duman M, Timur TS. The effect of sleep hygiene education and relaxation exercises on insomnia among postmenopausal women: a randomized clinical trial. Int J Nurs Pract. 2018;24(4):e12650–8. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijn.CrossRefPubMed

39.

Park JH, Jung YS, Kim JY, Bae SH. Mobile web-based self-management program for breast cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced amenorrhoea: a quasi-experimental study. Nurs Open. 2022;9(1):655–65. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.113.CrossRefPubMed

40.

Essner D. Improving quality of life in menopausal women through lifestyle management: a web-based health promotion project: University of Alabama in HuntsvilleUniversity of Alabam. 2019.

41.

Association WM. World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki: ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects. JAMA. 2013;310(20):2191–4. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2013.281053.CrossRef

Title: The effect of mobile app-based self-care training on the quality of marital relations and the severity of menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women: a clinical trial study in Iran
Authors: Foozieh Rafati
Najme Pourshahrokhi
Raziyeh Sadat Bahador
Neda Dastyar
Akbar Mehralizadeh
Publication date: 01-12-2023
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keyword: Care
Published in: BMC Women's Health / Issue 1/2023
Electronic ISSN: 1472-6874
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-023-02463-4

ERS Congress 2024

Springer Medicine

The effect of mobile app-based self-care training on the quality of marital relations and the severity of menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women: a clinical trial study in Iran

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Trial registration

ERS Congress 2024

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Trial registration

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 1/2023

Causal effects of gut microbiome on endometriosis: a two-sample mendelian randomization study

Facilitators and barriers to engaging with the DREAMS initiative among young women who sell sex aged 18–24 in Zimbabwe: a qualitative study

Spatial patterns and the associated factors for breast cancer hospitalization in the rural population of Fujian Province, China

Comparison of predictive effect of the dietary inflammatory index and empirically derived food-based dietary inflammatory index on the menopause-specific quality of life and its complications

Prevalence, persistence, clearance and risk factors for HPV infection in rural Uyghur women in China

Capacity assessment and spatial analysis of cervical cancer services in The Gambia