Resumen

RIVAS ALPIZAR, Elodia; NAVARRO DESPAIGNE, Daysi  y  TUERO IGLESIAS, Ángela Damary. Factors related to the demand of medical attention during the climacteric. Rev Cubana Endocrinol [online]. 2006, vol.17, n.2, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-2953.

The objective of the present paper is to identify the biological and social factors determining the request of medical attention among middle-aged women in an urban area. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted and 311 women that received attention in 4 family physicians' offices of the Area III Polyclinic, in Cienfuegos, were selected by single-stage conglomerate sampling. Every woman was interviewed to determine her sociodemographic characteristics, the presence of climacteric symptoms and their intensity, the gender conditioning and their knowledge on climacteric and menopause, as well as the factors connected with the request of medical attention, which was made by women aged 45-54, with preuniverstiy educational level, with very disturbing climacteric symptoms and with an adequate knowledge about climacteric/menopause. Among the reasons not to demand medical care, it was found that 14.7 % of the females referred having no time, in spite of presenting annoying symptoms. Most of the women had gender overload and inadequate knowledge on climacteric/menopause. To conclude, it is the first time in our setting that the social and biological factors motivating or not to seek medical care during the climacteric are reported.

Palabras clave : Climacteric; menopasue; middle age; medical care.

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