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Vol. 53, No. 1, January 2007, pp.84 - 90
Copyright © 2007 by The College of Family Physicians of Canada
Research |
Inquiring minds
Women’s approaches to evaluating complementary and alternative therapies for menopausal symptoms
Esther Suter, PHDResearcher at the Health Systems & Workforce Research Unit in the Calgary Health Region in Alberta.
Marja J. Verhoef, PHD
Teaches in the Department of Community Health Sciences in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Calgary.
Chris Bockmuehl, MD, CCFP, FCFP
Clinical Assistant Professor and Regional Community Division Chief in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Calgary and the Calgary Health Region.
Nathalie Forest, BSW
Project coordinator for the University of Calgary.
Mary Bobey, MSC, RPSYCH
Manages Women’s Health Resources, a program providing information and counseling to help women make informed choices about their health care, in the Calgary Health Region.
Gail D. Armitage, MA
Researcher in the Calgary Health Region
Correspondence to: Dr Esther Suter, Health Systems & Workforce Research Unit, Calgary Health Region, 10101 Southport Rd SW, Calgary, AB T2W 3N2; telephone 403 943-0183; fax 403 943-1321; e-mail esther.suter{at}calgaryhealthregion.ca
OBJECTIVE To examine how women gather, evaluate, and use information on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) options for managing menopausal symptoms.
DESIGN Qualitative study.
SETTING Calgary, Alta.
PARTICIPANTS Twenty-two women with a mean age of 52 years (range 42 to 58 years) who sought information on CAM therapies to manage menopausal symptoms.
METHOD In-depth semistructured interviews. Category coding and thematic analysis were used to interpret the data.
MAIN FINDINGS Four major themes emerged: how women gathered information, how they evaluated the information, how they used the information, and the challenges they experienced in making informed decisions. Information gathering was an on going process; as women’s symptoms changed, their information needs changed also. Their preferred sources of information included physicians, CAM practitioners, staff at health food stores, and personal contacts. They sought information about the process of menopause and about both CAM and conventional treatments. Study participants were highly educated. Most of them systematically evaluated information from many sources using such criteria as whether information was biased, where the information came from, and whether the information was current. Information was used to validate their symptoms and to choose treatment based on cost-benefit analysis, risk-benefit analysis, and possible negative side effects or interactions between medications. Finding reliable information was considered a challenge due to structural or information-related barriers. Several of the women cited a lack of time as a challenge: time to search for and evaluate information and the pressure of time to find relief from the symptoms of menopause.
CONCLUSION There is a need for reliable information about menopause and the risks and benefits of CAM options for menopausal symptoms in a format accessible to the range of women who will experience or are experiencing this transition. As a trusted source, family physicians have a role in disseminating this information.
Related articles in CFP:
- Exploring uncertainty
- Diane Kelsall
CFP 2007 53: 11.[Full Text] - Explorer l’incertitude
- Diane Kelsall
CFP 2007 53: 11.[Full Text]
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