Impact of age and type of menopause on incidence of asthma, hypothyroidism, and multiple sclerosis in postmenopausal Canadian women

Menopause is a key period in women’s lives associated with major physiological changes. Past studies have found evidence of increased risk of several diseases such as cardiovascular disease, depression, cognitive decline, osteoporosis, and diabetes to be associated with age and type of menopause. Asthma, hypothyroidism, and multiple sclerosis are more prevalent in adult women than men and studies have found a peak incidence of these diseases around menopausal age. Furthermore, there are very few studies or a complete lack of research on incidence of these diseases by age and type of menopause. The aim of this dissertation is to investigate whether age and type of menopause are associated with an increased incidence of asthma, hypothyroidism, and multiple sclerosis. Greater understanding of the association of age and type of menopause will shed more light on the changes associated with menopause and the health care required for this group of women.