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The literature is over endowed with research examining the problematic aspects of menopause, while not enough is known and understood of its wellness aspects. Certainly, the experience of menopause is deeply problematic for some women. However this has been shown to be the case for only a minority of women, and is largely confined to women in western cultures. Research has demonstrated that the majority of women experience changes at menopause but they do not experience those changes in a problematic way. Nevertheless, the notion persists that menopause itself is problematic. This book examines the background to the development of menopause as a problematic state and discusses the current conceptualizations of wellness. The lived experience of actually being well during menopause is described, based on findings from a qualitative, in-depth research study. This book presents a counter perspective to the focus on the pathological aspects of menopause while contributing to the discourse on wellness and thus will be useful to all health professionals with an interest in challenging existing paradigms in health care management.

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Sandra Mackey, RN, PhD in Nursing at The University of Sydney, Australia. Assistant Professor, National University of Singapore

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