Predictors of declining self-rated health during the transition to menopause

Abstract

Objective: To determine factors associated with declining self-rated health as measured annually for 8 years in a prospective population-based cohort of middle-aged Australian-born women. In particular, to investigate the potential role of the menopausal transition in changing self-rated health. Methods: A total of 262 women from the Melbourne Women's Midlife Health Project were asked to rate their present health compared with other women about the same age as worse than, the same as or better than most. Results: Women reporting their health to be "better than most" decreased from 51.2% at Year 1 to 41.3% at Year 8. In the year prior to the late menopausal transition, women reporting their h..