Attitudes towards the menopause and hormone therapy over the turn of the century

Abstract

Objective: To assess attitudes and beliefs about the menopausal transition in a population of peri- and postmenopausal women, and if these attitudes differed before and after publication of studies on risks and benefits with hormone therapy (HT). Material and methods: In 1999 and 2003 all women aged 53 and 54 years in the community of Linköping, Sweden, were sent a questionnaire about use of HT, menopausal status and attitudes regarding menopause and HT. Results: Most women regarded menopause as a natural process characterized by both hormonal deficiency and aging and these views did not differ between 1999 and 2003. A majority of women thought that significant climacteric symptoms were a good reason to use HT, but not that women without symptoms should use HT. The fraction of women who supported HT use was, however, significantly lower in 2003 than in 1999. Most women agreed that menopause leads to increased freedom and that it is a relief not to have to think about contraception and pregnancies. Conclusions: Most Swedish women had a mainly biological view on menopause but nevertheless they thought that only women with climacteric symptoms should use HT. Women’s attitudes towards HT have changed after recent reports on risks from long-term use of HT whereas the attitudes towards the menopausal transition were stable. Other factors than attitudes towards menopause affect women’s actual use of HT. Probably women’s and health care provider’s apprehension of the risk-benefit balance of HT use is one such factor.Original publication: Lotta Lindh-Åstrand, Jan Brynhildsen, Mikael Hoffmann, Susanne Liffner and Mats Hammar, Attitudes towards the menopause and hormone therapy over the turn of the century, 2007, Maturitas, (56), 1, 12-20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2006.05.002. Copyright: Elsevier B.V., http://www.elsevier.com

Hormone therapy and the medical encounter

“…Nonetheless, the caution evident among participants in our study reflects more negative attitudes towards HT, and a decrease in HT-use in recent years (Lindh-Åstrand et al 2007;Hoffmann et al 2005). The interest in using alternative therapies to relieve menopause symptoms mirrors the findings of other studies across Western societies (Brett & Keenan 2007;van der Sluijs et al 2007;Daley et al 2006).…”

“…A Scandanavian study (Lindh-Åstrand et al 2007) believed that all women should use HT, compared with 37% from the 1999 cohort. About 75% of women from both cohorts agreed (totally or somewhat)…”

Women are periodontally healthier than men, but why don't they have more teeth than men?

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Relationships Between Menstrual and Menopausal Attitudes and Associated Demographic and Health Characteristics: The Hilo Women's Health Study

“…Undoubtedly, in some cases, menopausal symptoms can be problematic and affect women’s quality of life but perceptions and attitudes toward menopause are also influenced by culture, education, and geography (Donati et al 2009; Gannon and Ekstrom 1993; Hvas 2001; Leon et al 2007). In fact, the last decade has seen an abundance of research on menopausal attitudes nationally and internationally, many of which highlight positive outcomes (Lindh-Åstrand et al 2007; Utian and Boggs 1999). …”