title: Hormone replacement therapy. Knowledge, attitudes and practices of women attending a gynaecology outpatient clinic in Trinidad.
abstract: A questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of a sample of 218 outpatients attending the Port of Spain General Hospital Gynaecology Outpatient Clinic. The questionnaire investigated women's knowledge of menopause, risks and benefits of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), their attitudes concerning HRT and menopause as well as practices of postmenopausal women with respect to HRT. Comparisons were made between women of differing menopausal status, educational background and ethnicity. The results showed that overall knowledge was lacking regardless of menopausal status, ethnicity or educational background. Less educated women were more inclined to believe that HRT was inappropriate principally because they regarded the menopause as a natural process (p = 0.023). Only 24% of postmenopausal women were practicing some form of HRT. A minority (7%) had previously been undergoing the therapy but had stopped. Most postmenopausal women (69%) simply never considered treatment because the majority had never heard about HRT. The main source of patient information was from the clinic they were attending. This study reveals low awareness of menopausal information and therapeutic options in a Trinidadian population. A targeted education programme may substantially fill this void.
authors.affiliation: Skills Laboratory, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Akong
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Hoon
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dial
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andrewin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Charles
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sandiford
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McDougall
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teelucksingh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014300:Trinidad and Tobago