Beyond the Hot Flashes: Assessing Postmenopausal Health and Quality of Life in Sub- Saharan Africa - Evidence from Ghana

Background Menopause is associated with several physical and psychological changes that impact a woman's quality of life. Very little is known about the quality-of-life experiences of postmenopausal women and their determinants in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study investigated the quality of life and associated factors among postmenopausal women in Ghana. Method This community-based cross-sectional study administered the Utian Quality of Life Questionnaire to collect data on work-related, health-related, social and sexual-related quality of life among postmenopausal women. Data was analyzed using Stata 17.0. Descriptive statistics presented, and test of association was done using the student t-test and analysis of variance. P<0.05 is considered significant. Results The mean menopausal age from this community-based study was 47.6years. Most participants were overweight (26.2%) or obese (32%). Occupational and emotional-quality of life scores were below the mean, while health and sexual-quality of life scores were above the mean. Participants’ overall quality of life scores were low but significantly increased with increasing body mass index from underweight to overweight, and then decreased from overweight to morbid obesity(p<0.007). Being married had the highest total quality of life scores compared to unmarried, divorced or widowed(p<0.001). Total quality of life was highest in women with either no education or secondary education, and lowest among those with tertiary education. Conclusion Postmenopausal quality of life in Ghana is significantly affected by educational level, BMI, marital and employment status. The highest total quality of life scores were associated with being overweight, having a secondary education, being married, and being employed.