Reducing menopausal symptoms for women during the menopause transition using group education in a primary health care setting — a randomized controlled trial

Objectives: Women's physical and mental ill-health shows a marked increase during menopause, which usually occurs between 45 and 55 years of age. Mental illness and somatic symptoms are common causes of long-term sick leave. Women suffer from a lack of knowledge about the menopause transition and its associated symptoms. The aim of the study was to investigate whether group education for women in primary health care (PHC) about the menopause transition can improve their physical and mental ill-health. Study design: This randomized controlled study was conducted in PHC and aimed to evaluate a Group education programme for women aged 45–55 years, around the menopause transition. A total of 131 women were randomized to group education or no intervention. The group intervention included two education sessions with topics related to menopause. They answered two questionnaires at baseline and at four-month follow-up: the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) and the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Main outcome measure: Change in MRS and MADRS scores over the four months. Results: The intervention group experienced a slight reduction in symptoms while the control Group mostly experienced the opposite. Conclusion: This study showed that it was feasible to implement group education on menopause for women aged 45–55 years. The clinical trial registration number: NTC0285281