Mr Vidu Ranatunga1, Dr Nyoman Sutarsa1, Dr Suzanne Estaphan1
1School of Medicine and Psychology, College of Health and Medicine, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
Biography:
Vidu completed his Bachelor of Health Science at the Australian National University in 2024 and is currently undertaking his Honours at ANU. His research focuses on the impact of lifestyle factors on health, with a particular interest in women’s health and midlife wellbeing. His current work explores how modifiable behaviours influence the severity and duration of menopausal symptoms, intending to support personalised, non-pharmacological management strategies.
Abstract:
Aims:
This study explores how lifestyle and demographic factors influence symptom severity, aiming to support culturally informed, personalised symptom management.
Methods:
Preliminary data were collected via a cross-sectional survey of menopausal women in Australia (n=181, mean age 55.65 ± 7.04). Symptom severity, lifestyle factors (diet, physical activity, sleep, motivation, and dysfunction), and demographic factors were assessed. A multiple linear regression model was used to identify predictors of symptom severity, incorporating both demographic (ethnicity, age, and menopausal stage) and lifestyle variables. T-tests compared lifestyle factors between Asian and Caucasian women, and stratified regression models were conducted for each group.
Results:
The overall model was significant (p < .001), with poor sleep and low physical activity as key contributors. Asian women reported greater daytime dysfunction (p =.004), while Caucasian women had poorer sleep quality (p <.001). In stratified models, physical activity and sleep predicted symptom severity in Caucasian women, while only sleep was significant for Asian women. These results suggest that the lifestyle factors and their corresponding impact on symptom severity may vary by ethnicity.
Conclusion:
Given the variation in symptom patterns and contributing factors across ethnicity, these findings highlight the need for culturally tailored and individualised approaches to menopause symptom management.