ASSOCIATION OF GUT HEALTH WITH DEPRESSION, OSTEOPOROSIS, IMMUNE DYSFUNCTION AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN MENOPAUSAL WOMEN: A QUESTIONNAIRE BASED STUDY
Author(s)
Kanishaka Kapoor, PharmD, Ayush Thakur, Pharm.D, Hardik Sharma, Pharm.D.
MM College of Pharmacy, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Ambala, India.
MM College of Pharmacy, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Ambala, India.
OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate a Gut Health Assessment Questionnaire, and investigate the association between gut health and menopause associated health complications like depression, osteoporosis risk, immune dysfunction and quality of life in menopausal women.
METHODS: A prospective questionnaire-based study was conducted among peri- and postmenopausal women aged 40 to 55 years. The Gut Health Assessment Questionnaire was developed following a literature review and expert validation. Content and face validity were confirmed, and construct validity was determined using exploratory factor analysis. Questionnaire reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Participants were assessed for depression using HAM-D, osteoporosis risk using SCORE, immune status using ISQ, and quality of life using WHOQOL-BREF. Descriptive statistics, comparative analysis, and Pearson correlation analyses were used to determine the link between gut health and menopausal health outcomes.
RESULTS: The HAQ had satisfactory psychometric attributes, including acceptable inner consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.715), KMO = 0.781, and 68.4% total variance explained. The study involved 512 peri- and postmenopausal women. Poor gut health was substantially connected to worse depression levels (r = 0.71, p < 0.001) and an increased risk of osteoporosis (r = 0.65, p < 0.001). Immune status had the most significant connection (r = -0.79, p < 0.001), followed by quality of life (r = -0.76, p < 0.001). Women with lower gut health scores exhibited weaker immunological performance, more psychological strain, increased osteoporosis risk, and lower quality of life compared to those with better gut health (all p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Poor gut health was strongly associated with a variety of negative psychological, skeletal, immunological, and overall quality-of-life outcomes in menopausal women. The substantial correlation between gut health and immunological state emphasizes the significance of the gut-immune axis during the menopausal transition. Thus, strategies for enhancing gut health may help this population achieve better health outcomes and QOL.
METHODS: A prospective questionnaire-based study was conducted among peri- and postmenopausal women aged 40 to 55 years. The Gut Health Assessment Questionnaire was developed following a literature review and expert validation. Content and face validity were confirmed, and construct validity was determined using exploratory factor analysis. Questionnaire reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Participants were assessed for depression using HAM-D, osteoporosis risk using SCORE, immune status using ISQ, and quality of life using WHOQOL-BREF. Descriptive statistics, comparative analysis, and Pearson correlation analyses were used to determine the link between gut health and menopausal health outcomes.
RESULTS: The HAQ had satisfactory psychometric attributes, including acceptable inner consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.715), KMO = 0.781, and 68.4% total variance explained. The study involved 512 peri- and postmenopausal women. Poor gut health was substantially connected to worse depression levels (r = 0.71, p < 0.001) and an increased risk of osteoporosis (r = 0.65, p < 0.001). Immune status had the most significant connection (r = -0.79, p < 0.001), followed by quality of life (r = -0.76, p < 0.001). Women with lower gut health scores exhibited weaker immunological performance, more psychological strain, increased osteoporosis risk, and lower quality of life compared to those with better gut health (all p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Poor gut health was strongly associated with a variety of negative psychological, skeletal, immunological, and overall quality-of-life outcomes in menopausal women. The substantial correlation between gut health and immunological state emphasizes the significance of the gut-immune axis during the menopausal transition. Thus, strategies for enhancing gut health may help this population achieve better health outcomes and QOL.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-09, ISPOR Asia Pacific 2026, Bangkok, Thailand
Value in Health, Volume 55, Issue S1
Code
PCR14
Topic
Patient-Centered Research
Topic Subcategory
Patient-reported Outcomes & Quality of Life Outcomes
Disease
SDC: Gastrointestinal Disorders, SDC: Musculoskeletal Disorders (Arthritis, Bone Disorders, Osteoporosis, Other Musculoskeletal), SDC: Reproductive & Sexual Health, SDC: Systemic Disorders/Conditions (Anesthesia, Auto-Immune Disorders (n.e.c.), Hematological Disorders (non-oncologic), Pain)