ABSTRACT
Objectives. The purpose was to evaluate the longitudinal effects --after 3month and one-year-- of a perimenopausal health education intervention for three subgroups-- traditional Chinese clinics, Gynecologic and community--of mid-life women in Taiwan.

Methods. Quasi-experimental research was applied. The intervention effects were estimated by mixed effect model (SAS-MIXED procedure) for repeated measures of health behaviors, perceived uncertainty and perceived perimenopausal disturbances.

Results. A total of 161 women were in the education group and 174 women were in the control group. After one year follow-up, health education intervention had significantly increased the practice of health behaviors both in Chinese medicine subgroups (β=15.39, P<0.001) and in Gynecologic clinics subgroup (β=10.08, P<0.005). On the other hand, health education intervention also had significantly decreased perceived uncertainty in subgroups of Chinese medicine (β=-9.52, P<0.005).

Conclusions. The perimenopausal health education had positive effects of reducing perceived uncertainty and increasing practice of health behaviors among women from Chinese medicine clinics after one-year follow-up. Women from Gynecologic clinics showed the intervention effects of increasing health behaviors after three month and one year follow-ups. The women from community did not show any significant intervention effects at follow-ups.

Practice Implications. Future perimenopausal health education should reinforce self-management of perceived perimenopausal disturbance and self –care knowledge about the safety of taking hormone therapy. In addition, it is important to advocate the women from community women to do health promotion for their perimenopausal transition instead of just living with their changing health.

Key Words: longitudinal effects on health education; perimenopause; mid-life women

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