[Quality of life in postmenopausal women, users and non-users of hormone therapy].
OBJECTIVE
to evaluate the quality of life of post-menopause women, users and non-users of hormonal therapy (HT), in a Healthcare Unit in Franca, São Paulo, Brazil.


METHODS
a clinical transversal study, carried out with 250 post-menopausal women, with ages from 45 to 70 years old, attended to in Healthcare Units, from September 2007 to August 2008. Participants were divided into two groups: HT users (n=70) and non-users (n=180). Women making continuous HT use for at least six months were considered as users. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics have been evaluated. Blatt-Kupperman's menopausal index has been applied to assess climacteric symptoms, and the Women's Health Questionnaire (WHQ), to assess their quality of life. Fisher's exact test or chi2 and Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis's tests have been used for the statistical analysis.


RESULTS
no significant difference has been found in the comparison of groups, concerning age, menarche, menopause, parity and body mass index. It has been seen that 67.2% of the women were married, 83.2% had attended primary school and 53.2% were housewives, with no difference between the groups. HT users reported lower frequency of climacteric symptoms (BKMI) with moderate and marked intensity, as compared to non-users (p<0.001). Even though HT users presented lower average score in cognitive deficit (p<0.001), vasomotor symptoms (p=0.04), sleeping problems (p<0.001), attractiveness (p=0.02) from the WHQ, there has been no difference in the total score, as compared to non-users.


CONCLUSIONS
post-menopausal women, HT users and non-users, admitted at Healthcare Units, have not presented differences in global quality of life.
Martins
Marcelo Antonio Domingos
MA
Programa de Pós-graduação em Ginecologia, Obstetrícia e Mastologia da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu da Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho - Botucatu (SP), Brasil.
Nahas
Eliana Aguiar Petri
EA
Nahas-Neto
Jorge
J
Uemura
Gilberto
G
Buttros
Davi de Araújo Bitro
Dde A
Traiman
Paulo
P
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D011788:Quality of Life