Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry

Objects : There has been the controversy that menopause may or may not influence the psychological distresses. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between the hormonal status and traits of depression & anxiety in menopausal women.

Method : Among the women attending menopausal clinic, menopausal wonmen, defined as who having a amenorrhea for more than 12 months, were selected as a study group(n=83). The control group(n=73), who visited to screen the cervix cancer with regular menstruation, had no history of hormone replacement therapy. Individual data were collected by self-reporting questionnaires. Depression state was evaluated by Beck Depression Inventory(BDI) and anxiety state by State Trait Anxiety Inventory(STAI), and the female hormones such as E2, FSH, and LH were obtained by blood sampling at visiting clinic. Statistically th data were processed by t-test and pearson correlation analysis(p<0.05).

Result : 1) The mean age of menopausal was 45.3 years. 2) In menopausal women the scores of BDI & STAI were significantly higjer than in control group(p<0.05). 3) There were significant differences between menopausal and control group by E2 & FSH. 4) There was no correlation between female hormonal status and the STAI & BDI scores in both group.

Conclusion : Although menopausal women had more traits of depression & anxiety in menopausal period. In further studies, we must consider another factors, including biological, sociocultural, psychological factor, as the cause of psychological symptoms during menopausal period.

Keywords Menopause;E2;Depression;Anxiety.