Making sense of menopause: Women integrating discourses of menopause into their menopause experiences and menopause-management decisions
Abstract
The number of women approaching menopausal age in the U.S. is increasing, making menopause an important health topic. Historically, menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) was the accepted method for treating the symptoms of menopause; however, in recent years several studies raised questions about the efficacy and safety of MHT, resulting in debate over appropriate ways to view and treat menopause. This qualitative study examined the role of discourse in shaping women's menopausal experiences and menopause-management decisions. By applying social constructionism and discourse theory, this study uncovers how communication shapes the dominant discourses of menopause within U.S. culture. Twenty-five perimenopausal and menopausal women who were either taking or not taking MHT participated in semi-structured interviews. Grounded theory and the constant comparative method informed the data collection process. Using inductive thematic analysis, the major themes and subthemes of each of these dominant cultural discourses were identified. These themes were used to analyze semi-structured interviews with women who were and women who were not taking MHT. Additionally, inductive analysis was used to discover emergent themes within women's accounts that did not fit within either of the two dominant cultural discourses. The analysis revealed that both dominant cultural discourses influenced how women described their menopausal experiences. Furthermore, women integrated these discourses into their menopause-management decision-making process in unique ways. Theoretical and practical and theoretical implications of this study are discussed.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Mattson, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Womens studies|Communication
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