Climacteric Womens Perspectives on Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Knowledge Gaps, Fears, and the Role of Healthcare Advice.

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Brazilian women regarding menopause, related symptoms, and the use of hormone therapy, including indications and contraindications. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between 18/07/2022 and 01/10/2023, involving women aged 40 to 65 years from various cities in Minas Gerais, São Paulo, and other regions of Brazil. A structured KAP (Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices) Survey was used to assess sociodemographic characteristics, the prevalence of menopausal symptoms, and the participants' knowledge and practices concerning Menopause Hormone Therapy. Results: The median age of the women surveyed was 50 years; 55.4% were postmenopausal (median age 55), and 44.6% were premenopausal (median age 45). The data indicate limited knowledge about menopause among Brazilian women. Less than one-third (30.3%) expressed satisfaction with the information they had received regarding menopause and available treatment options. Furthermore, 92.97% of participants demonstrated little or no knowledge of hormone therapy. Nearly 27% were unaware of MHT, and 22% opposed its use. Only 29% reported current use of MHT, with common reasons for discontinuation including fear of side effects and contraindications advised by gynecologists. Conclusion: The findings indicate that many Brazilian women have insufficient knowledge about menopause and hormone therapy. Furthermore, a lack of information and training among healthcare providers may lead to the low utilization of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). To effectively address menopausal symptoms and empower women to make informed choices about hormone therapy, it is crucial to improve access to accurate information and enhance the training of healthcare providers.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

Clinical Trial

"N/A"

Funding Statement

Yes

Author Declarations

I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.

Yes

The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:

The project has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR., # CAAE 55644522.2.0000.0068, # Consolidated opinion by the REC (Research Ethics Committee): 5,234,965 and complies with the Declaration of Helsinki. All patients provided written informed consent before answering the questions.

I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals.

Yes

I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance).

Yes

I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable.

Yes

Data Availability

All relevant data are within the manuscript and its Supporting Information files.

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