Question

1. Explain how societal and cultural views influence how menopause is perceived. Use examples from Asian, Mayan, and Western cultures.

2. Explain why the transition to parenting grandchildren can be difficult. What effects can it have on the grandparents? What benefits do grandparents report?

Answer 1

Ans) 1) Women around the globe have diverse experiences of menopause based on various biological, psychological, social and cultural factors which shape their perception, values and attitudes to menopause.

- Surprised at the dearth of studies on Indigenous Australian women and menopause, with only two studies identified. It is appropriate to ask about Indigenous women’s health seeking behaviour in relation to menopause and also to question the influence of culture, poor health including stress, and lower education literacy on their menopausal experience. This review has highlighted the lack of information on Indigenous women’s menopausal experience and explored why there is value in understanding their menopausal transition as part of providing better culturally directed health care for Indigenous Australian women.

- Given that modifiable lifestyle factors that contribute to poor health often are associated with increased menopausal symptoms, addressing the management of menopausal symptoms and their severity could assist Indigenous women as they age and provide another angle for health promotion and appropriate social support for this population.

2) Grandparents bringing up grandchildren also experience changes in their own lifestyle, health and well-being.

- Affects on health due to the additional work and stress involved in caring for often difficult children and they may neglect their own health; and. being tired and overworked.

- Children are raised by grandparents because of parental difficulties like substance abuse, prison, physical abuse, neglect, abandonment, HIV/AIDS, mental illness, divorce and death.

- Children raised by their grandparents are at an increased risk for emotional and behavioral problems in adulthood.