Postraumatic stress disorder symptoms and affecting factors in menopausal women

The aim of this study is to examine the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and the influencing factors in women in the menopausal period. The sample of this descriptive study consisted of 360 women diagnosed with menopause. The data were collected online using Google forms via social media in Çorum between January 20, 2024 and January 25, 2025. Personal Information Form and 'Post-Traumatic Stress Symptom Scale (PTSDS)' were used to collect the data. Independent Sample t Test, One Way ANOVA test and Pearson Correlation Test were used in the analysis of the data. The average age of the women in the menopausal period included in the study was 52.37±12.34 years. The average score they got from the post-traumatic stress symptom scale was found to be 18.62±6.46. It was determined that there was a statistically significant, negative and low-level relationship between the Post-Traumatic Stress Symptom score and age and age of menopause (p<0.05). In the study, post-traumatic stress symptom levels of women in menopause were at a moderate level. In addition, menopause status, education level, occupation, employment status, smoking and alcohol use, number of children, frequency of gynecological follow-up, use of Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT), type of menopause and duration of menopause complaints also affect post-traumatic stress symptoms.