Perception of menopause and self care of Thai menopausal women at
Hat Yai Hospital, city in southern Thailand
การรับรู้ภาวะหมดประจำเดือนและการดูแลตนเองของสตรีที่มารับบริการที่คลินิกสตรีวัยทอง
โรงพยาบาลหาดใหญ่ จังหวัดสงขลา
Wattana Sripotchanart, Asst. Prof., D. of Obstetric-Gynecologic Nursing and Midwifery, F. of Nursing, PSU.
Amnauy Loykulnant, Asst. Prof., D. of Obstetric-Gynecologic Nursing and Midwifery, F. of Nursing, PSU.
Songporn Chuntharapat, D. of Obstetric-Gynecologic Nursing and Midwifery, F. of Nursing, PSU.
Khanta Balthip, Nurse, D. of Fundamental Nursing, F. of Nursing, PSU.
Grant : Prince of Songkla University
Published : Research Report
Key words : menopausal perception, self-care practices, Thai women
A qualitative research was conducted. A purpose sample of 30 Thai menopausal women who attended at a menopause clinic, Hat Yai Hospital between May 1999 - July 2000 and was willingly participated. Data were collected through in-depth - interview, non-participating observation and diaries. Content analysis was performed to search for substantive themes. Finding revealed that Thai women usually viewed menopause as a natural change of one's life and require special care. Thai women, however, did perceive that they had some health risks. Regarding self-care practices, Thai women performed self-care practices in order to prevent health problems. These self-care perception included 1) changing their life styles 2) seeking for curative treatment 3) coping with emotional disturbances 4) seeking for better self-care practices 5) consulting professional care providers. Thai women were promoting and inhibiting factors regarding self-care practices of these women. Promot-ing factors included 1) internal motivation 2) social support 3) accessing to health care facility 4) positive health behaviors. Inhibiting factors were 1) exhaustion from family care and job 2) lack of knowledge 3) unawareness 4) economic constrain. The findings have implications to health care
policy. Increase menopausal clinics all over the country are recommended as through suburban and rural populations may have limitation in accessability increase public awareness and knowledge of menopausal care through public medias.
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