Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Perception of health, health behaviours and the use of prophylactic examinations in 
postmenopausal women  
 
Version: 0 Date: 11 Jan 2020  
 
Reviewer: Benito Chiofalo  
 
Reviewer's report:  
I was pleased to review the Manuscript titled "Perception of health , health behaviours and the 
use of prophylactic examinations in postmenopausal women". In this paper, the Authors aimed to 
review the evaluation and definitions of health and health behaviours in post -menopausal 
women.  
 
The topic of this Manuscript falls w ithin the aims of BMC Women's Health. The article provides 
a valuable and methodologically correct data analysis, the conclusion is consistent with data 
discussion and with available evidence throughout the text. Presentation of the Manuscript 
conforms Jou rnal's guidelines for Authors. The topic of this study is actual, so it may be of 
interest for the readers.  
 
In general, the Manuscript may benefit from several minor revisions, as suggested below:  
 
-Language revision is mandatory in order to correct some  typos like: introduction line 1 please 
correct "it's" with "its". Introduction line 14 please correct "qualitycan" with "quality can  
 
-Introduction. Before talking about the postmenopausal period, it would be fair to say that also 
during reproductive life , women may be affected by several reproductive disease like 
endometriosis. I suggest to the authors to add these pubblications to the reference list:  
1) La Rosa VL, et al. An overview on the relationship between endometriosis and infertility: the 
impact o n sexuality and psychological well -being. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol. 2019 Aug 
30:1-5.  
2) Brasil DL, et al. Psychological stress levels in women with endometriosis: systematic review 
and meta -analysis of observational studies. Minerva Med. 2019 Nov 12.  
3) Laganà AS, et al. Anxiety and depression in patients with endometriosis: impact and 
management challenges. Int J Womens Health. 2017 May 16;9:323 -330. 
-Methods. Is not completely clear how you enrolled patients. Were they going to undergo a 
medical examin ation in the hospital? If they were undergoing a medical examination this could 
be a bias of the study and must to be pointed out.  
 
-Discussion. Describes strenght and limitations of the study.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in yo ur comments to the authors.  
 
Yes  
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional stati stical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please speci fy what aspects require further 
assessment i n your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in  the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements , fees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financial ly from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation t hat may in any way gain or lose 
finan cially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents  relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial com peting interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have  no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
Nothing to declare.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name w ill be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted f or publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my report to be made available u nder an Open Access Creative Commons 
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be in cluded as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not b e published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal