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


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.
Lindh-Astrand
Lotta
L
Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Hospital, S-581 85 Linköping, Sweden. Lotta.Lind-Astrand@lio.se
Brynhildsen
Jan
J
Hoffmann
Mikael
M
Liffner
Susanne
S
Hammar
Mats
M
D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006306:Health Surveys; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000266:history / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D047648:Perimenopause / Q000523:psychology*; D013548:Sweden