Health Education in Perimenopausal Women to Promote Self-care and Quality of Life

Methods: clinical controlled trial with parallel groups, random assignment of primary care units and blinded evaluation of principal label.

Setting: study in primary health care centres (PHCCs) of Madrid Health Service and Castilla León Health Service.

Subjects: Women between 45-55 years to medical consultation in primary care. Intervention: application of good clinical practice procedure and cognitive - behavioural grupal intervention.

Sample size: N=355 patients. Data: Principal response variables: quality of life measured with the SF-12 questionnaire. Secondary response Variables: visits number, medicine /month number, and transitory disability days. Other prognosis and descriptive variables.

Data analysis: Main effectiveness will be analyzed by comparing the improvement in 4 or more points in the SF-12 Mental Health area at 6, 12, 18 y 24 months post- intervention, between intervention and control group. Logistic regression will be used to adjust for prognostic factors. Confounding factors or factors that might alter the effect, recorder will be taken in account in this analysis. All statistical tests will be performed with intention to treat.

Inclusion criteria

• 45-55 years women
• users of the Health Center
• able to follow the demands of the study: does not have the intention to move from home in the next 24 months
• have ability to read and write the Spanish language and agreeing to participate by giving their informed consent in writing.

Exclusion criteria

• Women immobilized at home, with mental disorder or cognitive impairment and/or sensory impairments that prevent to participate in a group intervention.