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Impact of Menopause Education Sessions on Menopause Self-Care Practices among Middle-Aged Women in Nigeria

Abstract

Menopause is a natural biological transition that may be accompanied by physical, psychological, and social changes that affect women's health and quality of life. Middle-aged women may experience symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, mood changes, fatigue, vaginal dryness, changes in sexual health, urinary symptoms, and other menopausal concerns. In Nigeria, limited access to reliable menopause information, misconceptions about menopause, cultural beliefs, stigma, and inadequate opportunities for women's health education may prevent women from understanding and appropriately managing menopausal changes. Menopause education sessions provide an opportunity to improve women's knowledge of menopause, promote healthy self-care practices, correct misconceptions, and encourage appropriate healthcare-seeking when symptoms are persistent, severe, or concerning. Against this background, this study investigates the impact of menopause education sessions on menopause self-care practices among middle-aged women in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on the Health Belief Model, Health Literacy Theory, and Social Cognitive Theory. The Health Belief Model explains how women's perceptions of menopause-related health concerns, perceived severity of symptoms, perceived benefits of appropriate self-care, perceived barriers, self-efficacy, and cues to action may influence menopause self-care practices. Health Literacy Theory emphasizes women's ability to obtain, understand, evaluate, and apply reliable information about menopause and available healthcare services. Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes observational learning, behavioural modelling, self-efficacy, reinforcement, social support, and environmental influences in shaping healthy menopause-related behaviours. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how menopause education sessions may influence menopause self-care practices among middle-aged women in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative quasi-experimental or analytical cross-sectional research design. The study population will comprise women aged 40–60 years residing in selected urban, semi-urban, and rural communities across Nigeria who are experiencing perimenopause, menopause, or postmenopause. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select geopolitical zones, states, local government areas, communities, households, healthcare facilities, and eligible women. Menopause education sessions will be assessed using indicators such as exposure to educational sessions, frequency and duration of education, information on the stages of the menopausal transition, recognition of common symptoms, healthy nutrition, physical activity, sleep hygiene, stress management, mental and emotional well-being, vaginal and urinary health, sexual health, bone health, cardiovascular health, weight management, avoidance of harmful self-medication, appropriate use of healthcare services, and awareness of symptoms requiring professional assessment. Menopause self-care practices will be assessed using indicators such as healthy dietary practices, regular physical activity, adequate sleep practices, stress-management activities, appropriate weight management, avoidance of tobacco and excessive alcohol use, appropriate management of menopausal discomforts, maintenance of vaginal and urinary health, attention to bone and cardiovascular health, appropriate use of prescribed or recommended treatments, symptom monitoring, and timely healthcare-seeking for persistent, severe, or unusual symptoms. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, menopause knowledge assessment tools, menopause self-care practice scales, symptom-monitoring tools, and pre-test and post-test assessments where a quasi-experimental intervention is adopted. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize participants' demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, menopausal status, symptom profiles, sources of menopause information, knowledge levels, and self-care practices. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, paired and independent t-tests, correlation analysis, and logistic or multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the impact of menopause education sessions on menopause self-care practices. Where a quasi-experimental design is adopted, self-care practice scores before and after the educational intervention may be compared with those of a comparison group to determine changes associated with the intervention. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that menopause education sessions have a significant positive impact on menopause self-care practices among middle-aged women in Nigeria. Women exposed to structured, evidence-based, culturally appropriate, and practical menopause education are expected to demonstrate healthier self-care practices than women without comparable exposure. Education may improve women's understanding of the menopausal transition and encourage appropriate dietary practices, physical activity, sleep management, stress reduction, symptom monitoring, and attention to bone, cardiovascular, vaginal, urinary, and emotional health. Practical education may also correct misconceptions that menopause-related symptoms must simply be endured and encourage women to seek appropriate professional assessment and treatment when necessary. It may further improve women's confidence in discussing menopause-related concerns with healthcare professionals and reduce reliance on unverified remedies or inappropriate self-medication. However, cultural beliefs, stigma, limited access to menopause-focused healthcare, financial constraints, misinformation, low health literacy, and inadequate family or community support may reduce the effectiveness of education alone. The study therefore expects accessible, practical, culturally sensitive, non-stigmatizing, and sustained menopause education sessions, supported by appropriate women's health services, to contribute significantly to improved menopause self-care practices among middle-aged women in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on menopause, women's health, reproductive health, healthy ageing, menopause self-care, health education, health literacy, symptom management, preventive healthcare, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, state ministries of health, hospitals, primary healthcare centres, women's health clinics, healthcare professionals, gynaecologists, nurses, community health workers, women's health organizations, development partners, and policymakers regarding strategies for improving menopause-related health and well-being. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating menopause education into routine women's health and primary healthcare services, strengthening menopause counselling, improving awareness of healthy ageing practices, addressing cultural misconceptions and stigma, increasing access to appropriate menopause-related healthcare, strengthening referral and follow-up systems, and developing sustainable women's health programmes that promote healthy menopause self-care practices among middle-aged women across Nigeria.

Keywords: Menopause education sessions, menopause self-care practices, middle-aged women, menopause, perimenopause, postmenopause, women's health, healthy ageing, health education, symptom management, reproductive health, Nigeria, public health.