PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSISTANCE TO WOMEN IN MENOPAUSE

AN ANALYSIS IN THE CITY OF

Abstract

Menopause is a natural phase full of changes that result in physical, biological and psychological symptoms. Quality care, despite being provided by health promotion actions, is in a precarious situation in much of the country. Thus, the main objective of this study was to analyze the psychological care available for women in menopause in Barreiras-BA, in addition to collecting sociodemographic data and the main symptoms of menopause. This is a cross-sectional, quantitative and descriptive study carried out using questionnaires. The study included 36 women, most of whom were between 46 and 55 years old, married, white, and had at least completed higher education. Regarding the general data, these women were mainly physically active, had not menstruated for more than a year, and presented mood instability, nervousness/irritability, sleep disorders, night sweats and/or excessive heat. It is clear that the lack of specific care for the menopause phase seems to hinder diagnosis and, consequently, adequate monitoring. Furthermore, psychological assistance has proven to be extremely important, but it is still lacking for most women. However, the formation of support groups, awareness and personalized care should be encouraged in order to improve the quality of life of women during menopause/climacteric.