本研究係採紮根理論(grounded theory)研究法。研究目的為建立有關婦女更年期生活經驗的描述性理論。以深入訪談方式對 35 位臺灣婦女進行訪談更年期的生活經驗；而這些婦女年齡為 40 至 59 歲，自認為已進入更年期且未採用荷爾蒙治療者。“處於健康多變化的時期”為此更年期生活過程的核心類屬(core category)，其引導整個更年期生活。“自我察覺”為先驅條件(antecedent condition)當婦女察覺其身心變化時，即進入“處於健康多變化的時期”的生活過程。在此過程中更年期婦女會有以下五個互動行為類屬：“複雜的感受”、“尋找解答”、“妥協”、“追求較好之生活”、“持續”。最後，更年期婦女認為更年期過程是一個“自然人生過程”，但此過程亦是一個“處於健康多變化的時期”。對臺灣婦女而言，整個更年期過程是一個“自然人生過程”，但並非相安無事的時期。護理人員應敏銳察覺更年期婦女的護理需求，關注更年期婦女個案是處於一個真正寧靜的時期，還是處於一個表面看似寧靜但實際是暗濤洶湧需別人協助的人生過渡期。更年期婦女護理最重要的任務是協助婦女如何調適其健康狀態的轉變。

The purpose of this qualitative study was to generate theory about women's perimenopausallife experiences. Thirty-five Taiwanese women aged 40 to 59 who perceived themselves as perimenopausal and who were not using hormone therapy were interviewed. Data were generated from interviews which were conducted in Mandarin.“Living with Changing Health" was the core category for describing and guiding the process of perimenopause. During this process,“Self-awareness" was identified as the antecedent condition. Once the woman became aware， she would begin the process of “Livingwith her Changing Health" . This process would be marked by action and interaction among the categories of“A Complex Feeling”,“Searchingfor Answers”,“Compromising”,“Pursuingthe Better Life”,and“Keepingon”. Throughout this process women viewed perimenopause as “A Natural Life Process” during which they “livedwith their changing health” . Although for Taiwanese women perimenopause is “a natural life process”, it is no longer a silent passage. Nurses should be sensitive to mid-life women noting if there is peaceful and silent passage or if there is hid-den turbulence beneath their apparently peaceful lives. Helping them to“live with their changing health” is the most important issue for the care of Taiwanese perimenopausal women.