Effect of Nursing Intervention on Improving Coping Strategies Regarding Menopausal Symptoms and Sexual Dysfunction

Background: One of the most important occurrences in a woman's life is menopause. Due to its effects on the emotional, physical, and psychological health of menopausal women and their families, it is crucial to emphasize menopausal symptoms, sexual dysfunction, and its coping mechanisms. Aim of this study was to assess the effect of nursing intervention on improving coping strategies regarding menopausal symptoms and sexual dysfunction. Research design: A quasi-experimental research design with pretest and posttest was used. Setting: the present study was carried out at gynecological outpatient clinics at Zagazig University Hospitals in Sharqia Governorate, Egypt. Sampling and Subject: A purposive sample of 100 women was recruited for this study. Tools of data collection: Four tools were applied in the current study; Tool I: A structured interview sheet, Tool II: Assessment of menopausal symptoms sheet, Tool III: Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and Tool IV: Coping strategies questionnaire toward menopausal symptoms. Results; revealed a highly statistical significant improvement at score mean in somatic, psychological, urogenital and total menopausal symptoms mean score (p = 0.0001). Also a high statistical significant improvement in all domain of FDFI (p = 0.0001). Self-coping strategies (20.0%) were the most common coping strategies used against menopausal manifestation followed by medical coping strategies (17.0%) and alternative coping strategies (15.0%) among participants. Conclusion Implementation of the nursing intervention had highly statistically significant effect on improving copying strategies regarding to menopausal symptoms and sexual dysfunction. Recommendations: Implementation of nursing program with a learning booklet for nurses should be conducted in order to increase their level of knowledge and practice related to all types of copying strategies for menopausal symptoms and sexual dysfunction.