Audio-Described Menopause Education Program in Visually Impaired Women

The Effect of Education Provided Through Audio Description Method on Menopause Knowledge and Menopausal Symptoms in Visually Impaired Women: Randomized Controlled Trial

This randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of an audio-described menopause education program on menopause knowledge and menopausal symptoms in women with visual impairment. A total of 46 women who were members of the Ankara Branch of the Altı Nokta Blind Association were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n=23) or a control group (n=23). The intervention group received an accessible menopause education program, while the control group did not receive the intervention during the study period. Outcomes included menopause knowledge and menopausal symptom severity, assessed using standardized measurement tools.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being a member of the Ankara Branch of the Altı Nokta Blind Association,
• Being a woman with visual impairment (congenital or acquired),
• Being female,
• Being between 40 and 60 years of age,
• Being able to speak Turkish,
• Having no additional communication problems other than visual impairment,
• Having experienced at least 12 months of amenorrhea (STRAW+1 criteria).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Refusal to participate in the study,
• Previous participation in a structured menopause-related education program,
• Use of pharmacological treatment for the management of menopausal symptoms,
• Use of non-pharmacological methods for menopausal symptom management (e.g., yoga, aromatherapy, phytotherapy, etc.),
• Surgical menopause,
• Having additional disabilities other than visual impairment (hearing, intellectual, or physical disabilities).

Withdrawal / Discontinuation Criteria

• Initiation of any pharmacological or non-pharmacological intervention aimed at reducing menopausal symptoms during the study period,
• Non-adherence to the study protocol,
• Voluntary withdrawal from the study.