Other Titles

Knowledge of Menopause and Sources of Information in Women and Men Who Reside in the United States [Poster Title]

Abstract

Problem: When it comes to health management, knowledge is power. Unfortunately, menopause education is gravely lacking in the U.S., despite the fact that menopause symptoms have a significant effect on women’s lives, including their relationships with men. Most people obtain health information from online sources or family and friends, both of which can vary from highly accurate to extremely inaccurate. Nurses, the patient educators of the health care team, are in a position to provide evidence-based menopause education. In order to create and implement such education there must be an established understanding of the population's current knowledge and sources of information.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe what U.S. women and men, ages 30-50, know about menopause and where they obtain their information. Broadening the understanding of sources of information will give insight into potential sources of misinformation and outlets for delivering accurate education. Coupling the understanding of knowledge and sources of information, nurses will be able to develop anticipatory guidance models to increase menopause knowledge, reducing the burden menopause can have on quality of life, workability, income, sexuality, and relationships. Self-efficacy has been included to ascertain how confidence interplays with the other variables, especially sources of knowledge.

Methods: A quasi-experimental correlational research design is being utilized to survey women and men ages 30-50 using an online questionnaire which has been distributed through social media and flyers. Tools include a demographic questionnaire, the Knowledge of Menopause scale, sources of menopause knowledge, and the New General Self-Efficacy Scale. Logistic regression will be used to analyse between and within groups relationships.

Implications: This study is setting the foundation for further research on U.S. men and women’s knowledge of menopause and will help guide the development of updated knowledge screening tools and anticipatory guidance models. Understanding how women and men obtain menopause knowledge will help nurses understand how to deliver evidence based information and combat misinformation found on many social media sites and even from friends and family. Increased menopause knowledge will arm both men and women with the tools to manage this natural phase of life.

Notes

Reference list included in separate document file.

Description

The purpose of this study is to describe the knowledge of menopause in U.S. women and men ages 30-50 and their sources of information. Menopause education is not routinely provided by healthcare providers. There is a correlation between lower quality of life with less menopause knowledge for both women and their partners. Understanding what women and men know about menopause and where they get their information will help guide nursing interventions, thus increasing knowledge and quality of life.

Author Details

Roxanne Ropponen, PhDc, RN, FNP-BC

Sigma Membership

Theta Psi at-Large

Type

Poster

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Quasi-Experimental Study, Other

Research Approach

Quantitative Research

Keywords:

Primary Care, Health Equity or Social Determinants of Health, Promoting Clinical Outcomes, Menopause, Menopause Education

Conference Name

48th Biennial Convention

Conference Host

Sigma Theta Tau International

Conference Location

Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

Conference Year

2025

Rights Holder

All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

Date of Issue

2025-12-02

Click on the above link to access the poster.

Additional Files

References.pdf (139 kB)

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Knowledge of Menopause and Sources of Information in Women and Men in the United States

Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

Problem: When it comes to health management, knowledge is power. Unfortunately, menopause education is gravely lacking in the U.S., despite the fact that menopause symptoms have a significant effect on women’s lives, including their relationships with men. Most people obtain health information from online sources or family and friends, both of which can vary from highly accurate to extremely inaccurate. Nurses, the patient educators of the health care team, are in a position to provide evidence-based menopause education. In order to create and implement such education there must be an established understanding of the population's current knowledge and sources of information.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe what U.S. women and men, ages 30-50, know about menopause and where they obtain their information. Broadening the understanding of sources of information will give insight into potential sources of misinformation and outlets for delivering accurate education. Coupling the understanding of knowledge and sources of information, nurses will be able to develop anticipatory guidance models to increase menopause knowledge, reducing the burden menopause can have on quality of life, workability, income, sexuality, and relationships. Self-efficacy has been included to ascertain how confidence interplays with the other variables, especially sources of knowledge.

Methods: A quasi-experimental correlational research design is being utilized to survey women and men ages 30-50 using an online questionnaire which has been distributed through social media and flyers. Tools include a demographic questionnaire, the Knowledge of Menopause scale, sources of menopause knowledge, and the New General Self-Efficacy Scale. Logistic regression will be used to analyse between and within groups relationships.

Implications: This study is setting the foundation for further research on U.S. men and women’s knowledge of menopause and will help guide the development of updated knowledge screening tools and anticipatory guidance models. Understanding how women and men obtain menopause knowledge will help nurses understand how to deliver evidence based information and combat misinformation found on many social media sites and even from friends and family. Increased menopause knowledge will arm both men and women with the tools to manage this natural phase of life.