SELFCARE BEHAVIOUR AND THE TYPICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF WOMEN IN THE PERIMENOPAUSIC PERIOD, CONCEPCIÓN, CHILE

Abstract

The following research was conducted in order to assess the selfcare behavior and the typical characteristics of women in
the perimenopausic period, and its relation to the biodemographic and social profile, being their ages among 45 to 54.
This is an explicative, cross sectional and correlational study. Sample was conformed by 148 women from Concepción
County( 8º Region) Chile. Data collection tools were: a questionnaire done by the author of the present research, which
includes the general information of the woman at perimenopausic stage, specified questionnaire about Quality of Life at
menopause, (Toronto University adapted by PROSAM foundation in Chile in 1997) and questionnaire about Selfcare
life. Data analysis was done by descriptive statistics and Anova. According, the findings, the biodemographic and social
profiles of women, would not influence the appearance of manifestation characteristic of this period, and the activities of
self-care generated by women would be independent from these profiles. Among some manifestations that were observed,
vasomotor ones, were not significant; whereas among the psychological ones, the stress and anxiety turned out to
be the most outstanding as well as being depressed and sad. Physical manifestations, primarily flatulence, gas and abdominal inflation, muscle aches, fatigue, decrease of strength and physical resistance. Women also manifested changes in sexual behavior and avoid sexual relations. The activities of self-care which are most highlighted, are: well-being promotion, whereby women indicated the need to receive major information regarding their life’s, period they were experiencing which is necessary to face, from a healthy and social point of view with a program according and as natural as to face other periods the women face, like the reproductive one, but counting on the necessary support for their well-being.