Oral Presentation
Context: the deterioration of the quality of life and the severity of the symptoms of menopause vary among different population groups. Objective: to compare the symptoms and the quality of life have Colombian climacteric belonging to two ethnic groups, using Cervantes Scale. Methods: cross-sectional study carried out on women residing in the Caribbean and in the Colombian Pacific, identified through a door-to-door assessment by interviewers. Safe research and ethics committee approval. Data analysis with EPI-INFO 7. Logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors and comparisons were made, were statistically significant if p < 0.05. Study that is part of the research project CAVIMEC [Quality of Life in Menopause and Colombian Ethnic Groups]. Patient (s): Healthy women aged 40-59, who volunteered and belonged according to their self-recognition to the Hispanic (mestizo) or Afro-descendant ethnic groups. Intervention (s): a form of sociodemographic characteristics was applied and the Cervantes Scale was composed of 31 questions of symptoms and conditions related to menopause, which are grouped into four domains and three subdomains. The higher the score, the worse the evaluation will be. Main Outcome Measure (s): Menopausal manifestations. Deterioration of domains and quality of life. Factors associated with deterioration of quality of life. Results: 1894 women were studied; 34.1% Afro-descendants and 65.9% Hispanic, age 48.7 ± 5.7 and 48.2 ± 5.8, respectively. Hispanics had greater psychic, sexual, relationship and aging deterioration, and less vasomotor symptoms than afrodescendents, p < 0.05. The Cervantes Scale score was 39.2 ± 22.6 afrodescendants and 43.7 ± 25.0 hispanic, p < 0.001. Being Hispanic was associated with a 43% greater deterioration of the quality of life with respect to afrodescendants and was a factor associated with "worse severity" in three domains: menopause / health OR: 1.40 [95% CI: 1.05-1 , 85], OR sexuality: 1.46 [95% CI: 1.19-1.80] and partner relationship OR: 1.36 [95% CI: 1.10-1.69]. Conclusion: there are significant differences in the deterioration of the quality of life of climacteric women of two Colombian, Hispanic and Afro-descendant ethnic groups.