Morbid Conditions and Lifestyle of Climacteric Women

Abstract

Introduction: Women experience aging in a peculiar way, as the climacteric is inherent in this phase of the female life cycle. This is a period characterised by functional, morphological and hormonal changes that affect the quality of life of women, as well as causing changes in the occurrence/prevalence of chronic diseases. Objectives: To identify the most prevalent diseases in perimenopausal women in the city of Cajazeiras-Paraíba, Brazil, and the interference of lifestyle in the occurrence and progression of diseases such as systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) and diabetes in women investigated. Method: This is a cross-sectional survey, in which data collection was carried out in an interview guided by structured script. The data collected were used in SPSS to statistically correlate the presence of at least one disease, systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) and diabetes versus meals/day, BMI, physical inactivity, smoking and alcohol consumption. Results: The results showed statistical dependence between overweight/obesity with at least one disease (p <0.001), SH (p <0.001) and diabetes (p = 0.016), in addition to alcohol abuse with at least one disease (p = 0.004) and hypertension (p = 0.005). Conclusion: The occurrence and progression of chronic diseases may be influenced by unhealthy lifestyle habits adopted by women. Thus, policies designed to promote the adoption of better living habits such as regular physical exercise and the abandonment of the use of harmful substances to the body, can interfere positively in the prevention/progression of the most prevalent chronic disease in climacteric.