The climacteric among South-American women, who immigrated to Sweden and age-matched Swedish women

• Forty-nine immigrated South-American (SA) and 48 Swedish women, aged 42-67 years, were studied in a comparative semi-structured interview survey, concerning the climacteric and its treatment. The mean age at natural menopause was 47 for the South-American women and 50 for the Swedish women. The prevalence of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms at the time of the survey did not differ significantly between the non-treated, non-operated, postmenopausal South-American and Swedish women (36% and 21%; N.S.). One reason for the trend towards a higher prevalence among South-American women could be that a greater number of Swedish women used hormone replacement treatment compared to South-American women (11 vs. 4). The general attitude to hormone replacement therapy was more positive among South-American women, although they did not use hormone therapy, as could be expected from their symptoms. These results are probably an illustration of the difficulties in getting access to treatment for the immigrated SA women.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Reproduktionsmedicin och gynekologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Climacteric symptoms

Vasomotor symptoms

Immigrants

Hormone replacement therapy

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)