(P25-023-25) MenoScale: Novel Digital Tool to Measure Menopause Symptoms - Validation and Preliminary Insights on Diet Quality Associations

Objectives: Menopause is linked to increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular risk factors, cognitive decline, and mood disorders, significantly impacting women's lives. However, existing assessment tools and knowledge on symptom-management interventions are limited. The MenoScale, a novel digital tool assessing 20 menopausal symptoms and burden via a 4-point Likert scale, was evaluated for validity and explored as a means to investigate diet-symptom relationships.

Methods: An online validation study was conducted in 1,010 peri- and postmenopausal women aged 37 - 70. The MenoScale was evaluated against the Greene Climacteric Scale (GCS) using Bland-Altman plot analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis established the symptom domain structure. The association between MenoScale score and diet quality was assessed using the healthy eating index (HEI) from a food frequency questionnaire.

Results: The MenoScale demonstrated a strong correlation with the GCS (R_s = 0.852, P < 0.001) and showed minimal systematic bias (mean difference: 1.35 points, 95% limits of agreement: -13.10 to 15.81, on a 0-100 scale). Based on acceptable internal consistency and prior knowledge of bodily systems, the questions were categorised into four symptom domains: vasomotor, sexual, psychological and cognitive, and somatic (Cronbach's α = 0.5-0.8). The HEI significantly predicted MenoScale scores, albeit with a modest effect size (β = -0.132, 95% CI [-0.234, -0.030], P < 0.001), suggesting better diet quality is associated with a lower menopausal symptom burden.

Conclusions: The MenoScale is a valid and reliable tool for a comprehensive menopause assessment. The association between diet quality and symptom burden highlights the need for long-term investigation. As an open-access online resource, the MenoScale empowers users to track symptoms and identify beneficial interventions. Finally, it presents opportunities for large-scale data collection, enhancing our understanding of diverse menopause experiences.

Funding Sources: ZOE Ltd.