Effect of exclusion: Rates of hysterectomy and comparisons of age at natural menopause.
The objectives of this study were to identify factors related to history of hysterectomy; to evaluate whether or not subgroups with different rates of hysterectomy also report significantly different mean ages at natural menopause; and to consider how variation in rates of hysterectomy may affect intrapopulation and cross-population comparisons of median ages at natural menopause. Data were drawn from a community sample in upstate New York. It is demonstrated that hysterectomy rates are not random with respect to variables that are also related to age at natural menopause. For example, women reporting high levels of education reported lower rates of hysterectomy and earlier mean ages at menopause. In addition, median ages at menopause and rates of hysterectomy were examined by correlation and regression analysis across a selection of industrialized countries. Avenues for further study are suggested. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 11:687-693, 1999. Copyright 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Leidy
Lynnette E.
LE
Department of Anthropology, Machmer Hall, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts.