Self-care actions taken for vasomotor symptoms by some postmenopausal Kelantanese women

OBJECTIVE:
Documentation of self-care actions for vasomotor complaints by some postmenopausal women in Kelantan.

METHODS:
A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to 326 naturally menopausal women to determine the prevalence and types of self-care actions taken for vasomotor complaints.

RESULTS:
Fractionally more women took self-care actions for night sweats than hot flushes. The choice of self-care action depended upon the area of residence and the educational level. The most common action taken for night sweats was to sleep either in an air-conditioned room or under a ceiling fan. About one-quarter of the complainants used hormone replacement therapy, the majority of who were urban-living and with secondary education. Only a small fraction used traditional remedies.

CONCLUSION:
A large proportion of women complaining of vasomotor complaints took self-care actions and the choice of self-care actions depended on the area of residence and educational level. The use of modern remedies and less of the traditional remedies was more common amongst the more affluent and educated women than women in rural areas who either did nothing or resorted to the more simple type of self-care actions. Contrary to our expectations, the use of traditional remedies was low.