A recent systematic review suggested that symptom monitoring can result in reductions in menopausal symptoms and improvements in health-related behaviours. To date, no studies have experimentally investigated whether symptom monitoring could be beneficial as an intervention for menopausal women. One hundred menopausal women were randomised into either a Monitoring-intervention or Control group. A mixed between/ within design was employed, with group membership (i.e., Monitoring-intervention or Control) as the between-subjects component, and time (i.e., baseline and 2-weeks follow-up) as the within-subjects component. Dependent variables included symptom reductions and emotional reactions. Secondary outcomes included help-seeking, communication, medical decision-making, health awareness, self-efficacy, and health anxiety.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
112
Reporting symptoms each day via a symptom questionnaire
University of South Wales
Treforest, Wales, United Kingdom
Menopausal symptom changes via the Daily Record Keeping (DRK) form
Changes in menopausal symptom scores after 2-weeks of symptom monitoring, where reductions in symptoms would suggest a beneficial outcomes.
Time frame: at baseline and after 2 weeks of symptom monitoring
Emotional outcomes via the Daily Record Keeping (DRK) form
Changes in emotion scores after 2-weeks of symptom monitoring. The DRK assesses emotional outcomes via specific emotion subscales including Negative Emotions, Positive affect, Anxiety, Depression, Loneliness. Reductions in Negative Emotions, Anxiety, Loneliness, Depression after 2-weeks would suggest benefical effects, as would increases in Positive Affect.
Time frame: at baseline and after 2 weeks of symptom monitoring
Help seeking intentions
Changes in Help Seeking Intention scores as assessed via the General Help Seeking Questionnaire (GHSQ). Increases in GHSQ scores at 2-weeks would indicate benefical effects on help seeking behaviour.
Time frame: at baseline and after 2 weeks of symptom monitoring
General Self Efficacy
Changes in General Self Efficacy scores as assessed via the General Self Efficacy (GSE) scale. Increases in GSE scores at 2-weeks would indicate beneficial effects on self efficacy.
Time frame: at baseline and after 2 weeks of symptom monitoring
Decision making efficacy
Changes in Decision making efficacy scores as assessed via the Decision Self Efficacy (DSE) scale. Increases in DSE scores after 2-weeks would suggest benefical effects on medical decision making.
Time frame: at baseline after 2 weeks of symptom monitoring
Health communication
Changes in Health communication scores as assessed via the Willingness to Communicate about Health (WTCH) questionnaire. Increases in WTCH scores after 2-weeks would suggest benefical effects on health communication.
Time frame: at baseline after 2 weeks of symptom monitoring
Health Anxiety
Changes in Health Anxiety scores as assessed via the Health Orientation Scale (HOS). Reductions in Health Anxiety after 2-weeks would suggest beneficial effects.
Time frame: at baseline and after 2 weeks of symptom monitoring
Health Consciousness
Changes in Health Consciousness scores as assessed via the HOS. Reductions in Health Consciousness scores after 2-weeks would suggest beneficial effects.
Time frame: at baseline and after 2 weeks of symptom monitoring
Coping preference
Monitoring/ Blunting Coping preference assessed via the Miller's Behavioural Style Scale (MBSS). The MBSS score can be used in analyses as a continuous variable, with individuals displaying more or less monitoring coping characteristics. Scores range from 0 (no monitoring characteristics) to 72 (high monitoring characteristics).
Time frame: Measured at baseline to assess whether coping preference moderated symptom monitoring outcomes
Trait neuroticism
Trait neuroticism was assessed via the IPIP-NEO 10-item neuroticism subscale. This scale ranges from 10 (low trait neuroticism) to 50 (high trait neuroticism).
Time frame: Measured at baseline to assess whether trait neuroticism moderated symptom monitoring outcomes
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.