Perception of women in Paulo Afonso, in Bahia, on the physical and emotional changes in the climacteric period

This study aimed to analyze the perception of bodily and emotional changes women on perimenopause assisted in a unit of the Family Health Strategy in the municipality of Paulo Afonso, Bahia. This is a field research, exploratory, with quantitative and qualitative approach. The sample consisted of 30 women. Quantitative variables were analyzed by distribution percentages and compared in the light of current literature. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic content analysis proposed by Bardin (2004). The results showed that 56.7% of respondents were aged between 41 and 50 years; 30% stopped menstrual cycle course for over 4 years; 100% say they do not know the term menopause. 66.6% of respondents said that the first symptoms of this stage suggest between 41 and 50, among the symptoms 86.6% of women cite hot flashes. Qualitative analysis revealed that women consider the stage as a difficult and unpleasant period because of the physical and psychological changes. It was concluded that menopause is an important period of life of women and that for most women in this study perimenopause is a period marked by negative changes.