افسردگی و ارتباط آن با علائم دیگر در مرحله گذار از یائسگی Depression and its link to other symptoms in menopausal transition

1. Introduction Depression is a common psychological condition and estimated to affect 350 million worldwide population [1]. Depression may decrease work performance, interpersonal relationship, financial status, and the appearance of suicide ideation. Although it is a psychological condition, depression may implicate to physical wellbeing and increasing morbidity and mortality [2,3]. Depression is twice more common in women compared to men. This high risk in women may be caused by hormonal changes in condition such as puberty, pregnancy, and menopausal transition [4]. Menopausal transition is a period when women undergo irregular menstruation and cessation of menstrual cycle [5]. Menopause transition may occur up to three to nine years in the midlife around 45–55 years old [6]. In the midlife, a woman may experience several health problems, changes in social function, work and family thus contribute in psychological condition [7]. Menopausal transition is marked by fluctuation of sex-steroid hormones and symptoms of vasomotor, psychic, and psychosomatic [8–10]. Still in controversy, what is the most complained of menopausal symptoms among menopausal women? National Institute of Health stated that vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes and night sweating), vaginal dryness, and sleep problem are the most common menopausal symptoms. Mood disorder including depression is not common in menopausal symptoms, although it often coincides with menopausal transition. Previous studies showed that there might be associations between depression and other menopausal symptoms and vise versa. However, it is still not clear whether the causation is strongly related or merely coincidental [11,12]. In this study, we will focus on menopausal transition toward depression symptoms. Then, depression symptoms will be associated with other menopausal symptoms during the menopausal transition. The study observing symptoms of menopausal transition including depression are still limited in Indonesia thus encourages the authors to conduct this study.