Menopause is a significant transitional phase in a woman’s life, marked by the cessation of menstrual cycles and accompanied by a range of physical, emotional, and psychological symptoms. This study aimed at assessing awareness and coping strategies on menopausal symptoms among women attending medical outpatient clinic in selected general hospital Lagos State. This study objective focused on level of awareness, common menopausal symptoms, coping strategies and factors influencing choice of coping strategies among menopausal women. Quantitative descriptive study design was adopted as primary data were gotten through the administration of questionnaire to selected 220 menopausal women using simple random sampling technique. The data collected were collated into Microsoft Excel and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 27. Descriptive analysis is done mainly using frequency tables and percentage. Inferential statistics using Chi-Square analysis was conducted to determine the hypothesis. This study revealed that awareness of menopause and its symptoms is relatively high among respondents as majority 58.2% strongly agreed that menopause is a natural phase of a woman’s life and not a disease while 41.8% agreed. Common menopausal symptoms included hot flashes, night sweats, irregular periods, mood changes, and fatigue. Additionally, weight gain, joint/muscle pain, and sleep disturbances were prevalent, though vaginal dryness was less commonly reported. Many engaged in relaxation techniques, maintained a balanced diet, and participated in social activities. Also, there is a significant relationship (p<0.05) between educational status of women and level of awareness on menopausal symptoms. These findings highlight the role of education, professional guidance, and cultural factors in shaping menopause management approaches and increased awareness on hormone replacement therapy as alternative treatment options.
Keywords: awareness, menopausal symptoms, menopausal women, outpatient clinic
