The Impact of Social Support Interventions on Menopausal Symptoms: A Systematic Review

Introduction: A comprehensive search was conducted to investigate the effect of social support interventions on menopausal symptoms. The search covered studies published from March 2010 to March 2022. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted using the keywords “educational interventions”, “menopause”, “social support”, and “clinical trial” in the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, Cochrane, and Google Scholar databases. Results: Out of 23 randomized controlled trials (RCT) included in this review, one focused on postmenopausal women over 30, four on women over 40, 14 on women over 45, and four did not report age. Social support interventions varied widely, with nine targeting vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes), seven focusing on improving knowledge, performance, physical and mental health, and relationships, and the rest addressing nutrition, exercise, and depression. Sample sizes ranged from 42 to 4974 participants aged between 40 and 70 years, and the duration of the interventions was from two weeks to two years. Conclusion: The results suggest that supportive and educational interventions, especially those involving spousal support and training of healthcare professionals can effectively reduce menopausal symptoms. Studies with longer duration reported greater effects. It is suggested to consider a comprehensive approach that includes educational interventions, emotional intelligence, nutrition and exercise, cultural factors, quality of life, and marital satisfaction to reduce menopausal symptoms.