EMBARGOED: 00.01HRS SATURDAY 2 JUNE 2007
Older women with sexual health problems prefer to go to their PC rather than their GP…
Health professionals still need to ask women questions about sexual health rather than wait for them to bring the subject up themselves
- Even women actively seeking online advice about the menopause still feel ill-informed on the subject of HRT
- Although some women think the risk of HRT had been over-stated in the media, many are happy to pay for alternative therapies because these are perceived as more “natural”
A survey published in the latest issue of Menopause International, has found that a high percentage of older women are not going to health professionals for advice on problems such as painful intercourse (dyspareunia) – even though good, effective treatment is available.
Grant Cumming, a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in Elgin, and one of the authors of the study was extremely disappointed with the finding that, even though 88% of respondents thought that an active sex life was important, only a small percentage of those experiencing discomfort during sex had sought treatment. “We were saddened to find that over 60% of these women hid their symptoms from their partner and 42% made excuses to avoid intercourse altogether. Many women said their confidence had been affected by the problem, even though it is one that is quite easy to remedy. What is even more discouraging is that, in comparison with studies from ten years ago, this survey seems to suggest that, if anything, women are less likely to seek help for these kinds of problems than they used to be.”
The results do not indicate whether the women surveyed were unaware that treatments are available, or if it was because they were too embarrassed to seek help. “But what is clear,” says Cumming “is that health professionals need to ask women about painful sex as part of menopause management.”
The survey also found that although three quarters of the respondents were in favour of HRT, 73% did not feel they were well-informed enough to make decisions about its use. 36% of respondents felt that risks from HRT had been exaggerated by the media, with only 10% feeling that the reports were balanced. More than half (55%) knew that different forms of HRT had different risks, but many were unaware that the age at which HRT is started can affect the risks associated with it.
In another questionnaire that formed part of the survey, women were asked about use of alternative therapies, 40% said they had used alternative treatments even though 85% answered “No” to the question “Do you feel you know enough about alternative treatments to make an informed choice?”
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Notes
The British Menopause Society is a global opinion leader in the controversies on postmenopausal health through its journal, website and consensus statements. Members of the British Menopause Society receive Menopause International free of charge.
‘Women’s attitudes to hormone replacement therapy, alternative therapy and sexual health: a web-based survey’, Menopause International, Vol. 13, No. 2, June 2007.
It is also available free at www.jrsm.org
Grant Cumming is available for comment.
