Extension project in health promotion, self-care, and strengthening of social bonds among women in the climacteric
an experience report
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20358302Keywords:
Women’s health, Climacteric, Postmenopause, Community participation, Self careAbstract
Introduction: Population aging and the physiological transformations of the climacteric and postmenopausal periods demand actions that promote comprehensive health, autonomy, and well-being among older women. Objective: To report the experience of undergraduate students participating in an outreach project aimed at promoting self-care and well-being among women in the climacteric or postmenopausal stages. Experience Report: This is a qualitative, descriptive study in the form of an experience report, addressing the activities of an extension project carried out in the second semester of 2025 by health sciences students. The activities took place at a public institution in the western region of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and included vital signs assessment, pain management, pelvic health, polypharmacy, self-care, memory, meditation, and health education practices. Evaluation was conducted through participants’ reports and students’ records. The meetings promoted increased knowledge about self-care, strengthening of social bonds, emotional expression, and the retrieval of memories, in addition to encouraging autonomy and active participation in health care. Activities such as the “Life Box” and memory games demonstrated a positive impact on self-esteem and socialization. Final Considerations: The project stands out as an effective strategy for promoting women's health and reinforces the role of university outreach as a tool for social transformation.
Downloads
References
1. Alswayied G; Frost R; Hamilton FL. Menopause knowledge, attitudes and experiences of women in Saudi Arabia: a qualitative study. BMC Women’s Health [Internet]. 2024;24(1):624. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-024-03456-7
2. Brasil. Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). Brazil’s population will stop growing in 2041. Agência de Notícias IBGE [Internet]. 2024 ago 22 [acesso em 4 dez. 2025]. Disponível em: https://agenciadenoticias.ibge.gov.br/en/agencia-news/2184-news-agency/news/41065-populacao-do-pais-vai-parar-de-crescer-em-2042
3. Brasil. Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). Em 2023, expectativa de vida chega aos 76,4 anos e supera patamar pré-pandemia. Agência de Notícias IBGE [Internet]. 2024 nov 29 [acesso em 4 dez. 2025]. Disponível em: https://agenciadenoticias.ibge.gov.br/agencia-noticias/2012-agencia-de-noticias/noticias/41984-em-2023-expectativa-de-vida-chega-aos-76-4-anos-e-supera-patamar-pre-pandemia
4. Rodrigues MAH; Reis ZSN; Verona APA; et al. Climacteric women’s perspectives on menopause and hormone therapy: knowledge gaps, fears, and the role of healthcare advice. PLOS ONE [Internet]. 2025;20(5):e0316873. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316873
5. Khandehroo M; Peyman N; Gholian-Aval M; Tehrani H. Self-efficacy intervention on health literacy and quality of life in menopausal women of suburban areas. Scientific Reports [Internet]. 2025;15(1):23813. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-09347-7
6. Chen T-L; Chang S-C; Huang C-Y; Wang H-H. Effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on quality of life and menopausal symptoms in menopausal women: a meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research [Internet]. 2021;147:110515. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110515
7. Simbar M; Nazarpour S; Khodakarami N; et al. A situation analysis on postmenopausal women’s self-care needs and priorities in Tehran: a population-based study. BMC Public Health [Internet]. 2023;23(1):104. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15040-z
8. Khadermi K; Kaveh MH; Asadollahi A; Nazari M. Development and validation of the Women’s Self-care Knowledge and Attitude Questionnaire (WSKAQ). BMC Public Health [Internet]. 2024;24(1):2338. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-19831-w
9. Tariq B; Phillips S; Biswakarma R; Talaulikar V; Harper JC. Women’s knowledge and attitudes to the menopause: a comparison of women over 40 who were in the perimenopause, post menopause and those not in the peri or post menopause. BMC Women’s Health [Internet]. 2023;23:460. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-023-02424-x
10. Taylor-Swanson L; Kent-Marvick J; Austin SD; et al. Developing a menopausal transition health promotion intervention with Indigenous, integrative, and biomedical health education: a community-based approach with urban American Indian/Alaska Native women. Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health [Internet]. 2024;13:27536130241268232. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1177/27536130241268232
11. Golaszewski NM; LaCroix AZ; Godino JG; et al. Evaluation of social isolation, loneliness, and cardiovascular disease among older women in the US. JAMA Network Open [Internet]. 2022;5(2):e2146461. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.46461
12. Farshbaf-Khalili A. The impact of aromatherapy with Citrus bergamia–Lavandula angustifolia essential oil and/or mindfulness-based therapy on postmenopausal health: a factorial randomized controlled trial. Complementary Therapies in Medicine [Internet]. 2025;91:103190. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2025.103190
13. Abdelalziz EM; Elsharkawy NB; Mohamed SM. Health promoting lifestyle behaviors and sleep quality among Saudi postmenopausal women. Frontiers in Public Health [Internet]. 2022;10:859819. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.859819
14. Du S; Hong X; Yang Y; Ding Z; Yu T. Association between body fat percentage and H-type hypertension in postmenopausal women. Frontiers in Public Health [Internet]. 2022;10:950805. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.950805
15. Nazarpour S; Simbar M; Alavi Majd H; et al. The relationship between postmenopausal women’s body image and the severity of menopausal symptoms. BMC Public Health [Internet]. 2021;21(1):1599. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-11643-6
16. Maki PM; Springer G; Anastos K; et al. Cognitive changes during the menopausal transition: a longitudinal study in women with and without HIV. Menopause [Internet]. 2021;28(4):360–368. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1097/GME.0000000000001725
17. Wylenzek F; Bühling KJ; Laakmann E. A systematic review on the impact of nutrition and possible supplementation on the deficiency of vitamin complexes, iron, omega-3-fatty acids, and lycopene in relation to increased morbidity in women after menopause. Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics [Internet]. 2024;310(4):2235–2245. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-024-07555-6
18. Athnaiel O; Davidson N; Mangat J; Nasr NF; Knezevic NN. Gonadal hormone changes with aging and their impact on chronic pain. Cells [Internet]. 2025;14(2):123. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14020123
19. Barati M; Akbari-Heidari H; Samadi-Yaghin E; Jormand H; Kamyari N. The factors associated with the quality of life among postmenopausal women. BMC Women’s Health [Internet]. 2021;21(1):208. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-021-01361-x
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Sabrina Cristina Nascimento Vilaça Pinto, Letícia Porto Carvalho de Faria , Luana Pentagna Guimarães Martini, Ana Clara de Sá Ferreira, Ana Silvia Azevedo Castro , Bárbara Guimarães Falcão De Morais, Isabela Campos Guimarães, Luana Barroso Pinto , Luana Siman Assim Silva , Sofia Vilaça Diniz Resende , Juliana Tomé Pereira, Mariana Magalhães Miranda

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
