Risk of early menopausal symptoms in clinical workers

Background: Workplace exposures as in clinical work can cause disorders. Some organ systems are at risk. This work may be a risk factor for early symptoms of menopause. The objective of this study was to compare the early symptoms of menopause between hospital personnel who work in clinical and offi ce settings. Materials and Methods: This was a historical cohort study conducted on clinical and offi ce workers of hospitals. The study was conducted using a fl exible interview conducted with a questionnaire among personnel of age 40 years and above. According to their menopausal status, they were divided into three phases: premenopause, perimenopause, and postmenopause. Symptoms in 10 items were assessed and scored from 1 to 10, and were compared. Data were analyzed with SPSS 16, t-test, and Chi-square tests and were calculated considering P < 0.05 as the signifi cant level. Odds ratios were calculated along with 95% confi dence interval. Results: Frequency of menopausal symptoms was higher in the clinical group than in the offi ce group. In the clinical group, the odds ratio for menopausal symptoms like fl ashing and sweating was 1.879 (1.457-2.423) and in the offi ce personnel, it was 0.192 (0.030-1.238). In the clinical group, the odds ratio for anxiety and irritability was 2.029 (1.660-2.481) and in the offi ce personnel, it was 0.116 (0.017-0.779). Conclusions: Clinical ersonnel had higher risk for early menopausal symptoms such as fl ashing, sweating, anxiety, and irritability. Assessing the health of these personnel may help to improve their reproductive health. The person with reproductive risk factors is not suitable for clinical work.