Kadınların Menopozla Baş Etme Deneyimleri: Dijital Okuryazarlık Düzeyleri

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, kadınlarının menopoz ile baş etme sürecinde dijital bilgiye nasıl eriştiklerini, bu bilgiyi nasıl değerlendirdiklerini ve kullandıklarını dijital okuryazarlığın bu süreçteki rolüne odaklanarak incelemektir.

Yöntem: Araştırma, nitel betimleyici araştırma deseninde yürütülmüştür. Veriler, kartopu örnekleme yöntemi kullanılarak Türkiye’de menopoz dönemindeki 25 kadınla yapılan bireysel görüşmeler yoluyla toplanmıştır. Görüşmelerde yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu kullanılmış; elde edilen veriler tematik analiz yöntemi ile değerlendirilmiştir.

Bulgular: Çalışma sonucunda dört ana tema belirlenmiştir: (1) Menopoz deneyimi, (2) Baş etme stratejileri, (3) Dijital okuryazarlık durumu, (4) Dijital okuryazarlık aracılığıyla menopoza yönelik baş etme stratejileri. Katılımcılar menopozu ya doğal bir süreç ya da hastalık/kayıp olarak tanımlamışlardır. Baş etme stratejileri arasında geleneksel uygulamalar, tıbbi destek ve sosyal destek yer almaktadır. Kadınlar, özellikle semptomların günlük yaşamı etkilediği durumlarda, menopozla ilişkili bilgileri dijital ortamlarda aktif olarak aradıklarını ifade etmişlerdir. Kadınların çoğu, benzer deneyimler yaşayan kişilerin sosyal medya paylaşımlarından yararlandıklarını belirtmiştir. Ayrıca, birçok kadın dijital kaynaklardan elde edilen bilgilerin doğruluğunu ve güvenilirliğini değerlendirmede güçlük yaşadıklarını bildirmiştir.

Sonuç: Bulgular, kadınların menopoz deneyimlerini ve bu süreçle baş etme biçimlerinde dijital okuryazarlığın önemli bir rol oynadığını göstermektedir. Birinci basamakta görev yapan sağlık profesyonellerinin, kadınların menopozla ilişkili doğru ve güvenilir çevrimiçi sağlık bilgilerine erişimini desteklemesi önemlidir. Ayrıca, kadınlarda dijital okuryazarlığın geliştirilmesi için çok paydaşlı bir yaklaşımın uygulanması önerilmektedir. Orta yaş kadınlarında dijital sağlık okuryazarlığının geliştirilmesi, bilinçli karar verme süreçlerini desteklemek ve menopoz döneminde yaşam kalitesini artırmak için gereklidir.

Keywords

• Başa çıkma davranışı
• Kadın sağlığı
• Menopoz
• Sağlık okuryazarlığı
• Dijital okuryazarlık

Women's Experiences Coping with Menopause: The Role of Digital Literacy

Abstract

Aim: This qualitative study aimed to provide how women access, evaluate, and use digital information to cope with menopause, with a particular focus on the role of digital literacy.

Method: The study was conducted using a qualitative descriptive research design.  The data were collected through individual interviews with 25 women in the menopausal period in Türkiye using snowball sampling. A semi-structured interview form was used during the interviews, and the data obtained were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results: Four main themes were identified: 1) menopause experience, 2) coping strategies, 3) digital literacy status, and 4) coping with menopause through digital literacy. Women described menopause as either a natural life transition or as a period associated with loss or illness. Coping strategies included traditional practices, medical support, and social support. Women reported actively seeking menopause-related information in digital environments, particularly when symptoms affected daily life. Most women stated that they benefited from social media posts shared by others experiencing similar situations. However, many women described difficulties in evaluating the accuracy and reliability of information obtained from digital sources

Conclusion: The findings suggest that digital literacy may shape how women experience and cope with menopause, highlighting the relevance of women’s digital literacy status during the menopausal period. Primary healthcare professionals can support women’s access to accurate and reliable online health information related to menopause. In addition, a multi-stakeholder approach is recommended to enhance digital literacy among women. 

Keywords

• Coping behavior
• Menopause
• Health literacy
• Women's health
• Digital literacy

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