Journal article
From maca to marijuana: cultural influences on joint pain symptoms and management in urban perimenopausal and early postmenopausal Latinas
Menopause (New York, N.Y.), Vol.31(9), pp.756-763
09/2024
DOI: 10.1097/GME.0000000000002396
PMCID: PMC11469668
PMID: 39078653
Abstract
Abstract Objective The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the symptom experience and coping strategies for managing joint pain during the menopause transition in urban Latina women. Methods We conducted focus groups with 13 English-speaking peri and early postmenopausal Latinas living in Upper Manhattan in New York City in 2014. Eligible participants were self-identified Latinas aged 45 to 60 years with new onset or worsening joint pain and spontaneous amenorrhea, recruited through flyers and snowball sampling. Focus group interviews conducted in English were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed by a bilingual research team, using NVivo software (QSR International) to organize and code themes. Results On average, participants were aged 51.7 ± 4.8 years and overweight (body mass index of 29.3 ± 6.7 kg/m 2 ); 10 (76.9%) were Puerto Rican, and the last menstrual period was 1 month to 5 years ago. The following four themes emerged: 1) menopause and joint pain are an alarming package; 2) pain disrupts life and livelihood; 3) medical management is unsatisfactory and raises worries about addiction; and 4) home remedies for coping with pain—from maca to marijuana. Despite access to a world-class medical facility in their neighborhood, women seeking pain relief preferred to self-manage joint pain with exercise, over-the-counter products, and other culturally valued home remedies. Many suffered through it. Conclusions For midlife Latinas, joint pain symptoms may emerge or worsen unexpectedly as part of the menopause transition and carry distressing consequences for daily activities and quality of life. There is a need to develop more culturally specific approaches for menopause-related pain management in this underserved population.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- From maca to marijuana: cultural influences on joint pain symptoms and management in urban perimenopausal and early postmenopausal Latinas
- Creators
- Yamnia I. Cortés - University of IowaMargaret Altemus - Yale UniversityNancy E. Reame - Columbia University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Menopause (New York, N.Y.), Vol.31(9), pp.756-763
- DOI
- 10.1097/GME.0000000000002396
- PMID
- 39078653
- PMCID
- PMC11469668
- NLM abbreviation
- Menopause
- ISSN
- 1530-0374
- eISSN
- 1530-0374
- Publisher
- LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS
- Grant note
- National Institute on Aging Translational Research Institute on Pain in Later Life (TRIPPL): 5P30AG022845-09 National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, formerly the National Center for Research Resources: UL1TR000040 US Dept of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration Grant: D09HP14667
This study was supported by the National Institute on Aging Translational Research Institute on Pain in Later Life (TRIPPL) grant#5P30AG022845-09 (Reid, PI); National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, formerly the National Center for Research Resources, throughgrants # UL1TR000040, Training Nurse Scientists in Interdisciplinary and Translational Research in the Underserved (TRANSIT), US Dept of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration Grant #D09HP14667 (Reame, PI).
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 07/30/2024
- Date published
- 09/2024
- Academic Unit
- Nursing
- Record Identifier
- 9984689159802771
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