Survey of British Women's Views on the Menopause and HRT

Abstract

Objective

To examine British women's views on the menopause and HRT.

Study design

Face-to-face interviews with 393 women aged 40–65 (randomly selected to be representative of the UK in terms of geographical region, social class and age) and with a different group of 244 women from across the UK selected according to their HRT use by means of a “snowballing” technique.

Main outcome measures

Descriptive statistics of women's responses to structured interview.

Results

Of the 393 women, 17% were currently using HRT (31% of those experiencing menopausal symptoms) and 11% were past users; 51% had discussed HRT with their doctor. Most claimed to know a little (57%) or a lot (25%) about HRT. Reasons for stopping HRT were: side-effects (35%), poor efficacy (24%) and concern about long-term risks (18%). Most current users expected to take HRT long-term: 29% for life, 18% for >5 years and 25% for 2–5 years. 67% of past users and 49% of non-users thought they would take HRT in the future. When considering statements about the menopause, 65% of women felt more would be done if men experienced it, 52% preferred to consult a woman doctor, 60% wanted to learn more about the menopause and 56% were glad that their periods had stopped.

Conclusions

Compared with past surveys, this suggests that British women's knowledge and use of HRT is increasing. Women may stop HRT if side-effects are troublesome or because of concern about long-term risks. However, many are prepared to use HRT for long periods.