gaps in menopause education - presentation -

Gaps in Menopause Gaps in Menopause EducationEducation

- Presentation -- Presentation -

- May 2007 -

2

Gaps in Menopause Education Survey

Agenda

Methodology

Detailed Results Impact on Quality of Life Symptoms Women & Physicians

Knowledge and Discussions Treatments and Therapies

Communication and Education Information on Menopause Women’s Attitudes on Age, Health and Menopause

Use header or footer to name study. Example: Ad Campaign Post-Test Use header or footer to name study. Example: Ad Campaign Post-Test

3


Methodology

Women A total of 2,049 Canadian women aged 41 and older who have never had breast

cancer or a hysterectomy, answered an online survey between January 18, 2007 and February 2, 2007

Data was weighted according to age within region for women over the age of 41. Results from a sample of this size can be considered accurate to within 2.16%, 19 times out of 20

Physicians A total of 125 general practitioners who have at least 50 per cent female patients

and have either an equal number of patients over and under the age of 35, or a majority over the age of 35, answered a telephone survey between January 20, 2007 and February 1, 2007

Data was weighted to reflect the natural gender composition of Canadian general practitioners, which is approximately 67% male and 33% female. Results from a sample of this size can be considered accurate to 8.8%, 19 times out of 20

Use header or footer to name study. Example: Ad Campaign Post-Test Use header or footer to name study. Example: Ad Campaign Post-Test

Unweighted

n= Error interval

Total physicians 125 +/-8.8%

Male physicians 100 +/-9.8%

Female physicians 25 +/-19.6%

Impact on Quality of Impact on Quality of LifeLife

5


1 in 4 Menopausal Women Say the Symptoms of Menopause Have Had an Impact on Their Everyday Life

More, Less or the Same Amount of Sleepless Nights Due to Menopause as the Following Life Events

47%

61%

64%

65%

30%

31%

24% 11%

46%

5%

9%

7%Raising a newborn (n=1201)

Difficulty with a relationship (n=1126)

Stress from work (n=1264)

Pregnancy (n=747)

More/ Same Less Don't know

Q15. If you’ve experienced sleepless nights or difficulty sleeping as a result of

menopausal symptoms, would you say that you experienced more, less or about

the same amount as the following events in your life?

Impact of Menopause Symptoms on Everyday Life (Mean=4.4)

56%

21%23%

Little or no impactNeutralImpact

Q16. All things considered, on a scale of 1 to 10, how much of an

impact have the symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes had

on your everyday life? For this question, 1 means no impact at all and

10 means a very big impact.

Over 6 in 10 menopausal women say they have experienced at least the same or more sleepless nights due to menopause as they did with pregnancy, work stress , or relationship problems

1 in 4 women say the symptoms of menopause have had an impact on their everyday life, and women in Quebec are more likely than other Canadian women to say so (33% vs. ROC: 20%)

6


Over Half of Working Professional Women Say Experiencing a Hot Flash Has Interfered With Their Work at Some Point

43%

38%

45%

Total Peri-Menopausal Post-Menopausal

Yes

Q13. To the best of your knowledge, have colleagues or clients ever witnessed

you having a hot flash?

Reaction of Colleagues/ Clients

70%

17%

6%

2%

5%

Understood it was related tomenopause and not performance

I'm not sure

Considered it to be work relatedrather than a menopausal

symptom

Embarrased

Other

Q14. What did you perceive their reaction to be? (n=600)

Over 2 in 5 menopausal women say colleagues or clients have witnessed them having a hot flash with post-menopausal women being more likely than peri-menopausal women to say so (45% vs. 38%)

Interestingly however, 7 in 10 say the individual understood it was related to menopause and not performance

Q12. If you are a working professional, how often has experiencing a hot

flash, or the apprehension of experiencing a hot flash, interfered with your

work (i.e. Giving a presentation, leading a meeting, interviewing, etc.)?

Hot Flashes - Interference with work

42%

40%

12%3%

Very Often

Often

Not very often

Never

Interfered:

55%

7


Nearly 3 in 10 Women Say Menopause Has Negatively Affected Their Relationship with Their Spouse

Q33A/B/C. Which of the following best describes how your spouse or partner/children/friends have reacted to your menopausal symptoms?

42%

20%18%

12%

5% 4%

23%

38%

14%

4%6%

14%

51%

28%

3% 2% 4%

12%

Is understanding andsupportive

Has had no reaction atall

Does not understand,but is supportive

Thinks/ acts like thesymptoms are trivial

Makes fun of thesymptoms

Don't know

Spouse (n=652) Children (n=661) Friends (n=827)

Most commonly, women say their spouse or partner and friends are understanding in regards to their menopausal symptoms, while children have had no reaction at all

1 in 5 women, however, say their spouse does not understand, but is supportive and just over 1 in 10 say their spouse think/acts like the symptoms are trivial

Affect on Relationships

7%

3%

2%

4%

64%

81%

84%

88%

82%

80%

27%

13%

9%

5%

5%

5%

8%

Spouse (n=672)

Children (n=663)

Co-workers (n=683)

Friends (n=797)

Physician (n=768)

Others (n=744)

Positively No affect Negatively

Q32. How has experiencing symptoms of menopause affected your relationships with

your…?

8


1 in 3 Menopausal Women Consider Menopause to Have the Same or More Impact On their Daily Life as Other Major Life Milestones

53%

36%

34%

33%

32%

31%

40%

61%

64%

7%

7%

6%

14%

5%

7%

5%

32%

53%

61%

58%

63%

Puberty (n=765)

First job (n=747)

Marriage (n=682)

Retirement (n=535)

Child bearing (n=633)

Career obligations(n=712)

Raising children(n=642)

Same or more significant Less significant Don't know

Q34. Compared with the following milestones in a woman’s life, how significant an impact does menopause have on your daily life?

1 in 3 menopausal women say menopause has the same or more significant impact on their daily life as their first job, marriage, and retirement

3 in 10 women say menopause has had the same or more of a significant impact on their daily life as child bearing, their career obligations or raising children

SymptomsSymptoms

10


Pre-Menopausal Women are the Least Aware of Many Menopausal Symptoms

Q5. Are you aware of the following symptoms of menopause?

Peri-menopausal women are the most aware of mood swings, and post-menopausal women are the most aware of insomnia, difficulty with sleep and vaginal dryness

Pre-menopausal women are the least aware of weight gain, fatigue, decreased libido, heavy menstrual period, headaches, short term-memory problems and joint pain

Tota

lPre Peri Post

Hot flashes 99% 97% 99% 99%

Night sweats 97% 95% 97% 98%

Irregular menstrual period 97% 93% 98% 97%

Mood swings 92% 88% 95% 91%

Insomnia 88% 79% 87% 92%

Difficulty with sleep, frequent awakenings

87% 80% 85% 91%

Vaginal dryness 86% 78% 85% 90%

Weight gain 79% 70% 80% 81%

Fatigue 77% 64% 77% 81%

Decreased libido/ sexual desire 71% 57% 76% 73%

Heavy menstrual period 70% 54% 74% 72%

Headaches 69% 56% 68% 73%

Short-term memory problems 53% 40% 51% 56%

Joint pain 46% 27% 46% 49%

11


Pre-Menopausal Women are Most Concerned About Experiencing Weight Gain

Concern for Menopausal Symptoms

64%

53%

51%

49%

45%

44%

41%

40%

36%

34%

32%

29%

28%

14%

Weight gain

Difficulty with sleep, frequentawakenings

Short-term memory problems

Hot flashes

Night sweats

Insomnia

Mood swings

Fatigue

Headaches

J oint pain

Decreased libido/ sexual desire

Vaginal dryness

Heavy menstrual period

Irregular menstrual period

Q7. What symptoms of menopause are you most concerned about experiencing? (Select all that apply)

Pre-menopausal women are the most concerned about experiencing weight gain, with 3 in 5 saying so

An additional half of all pre-menopausal women are concerned about difficulty with sleep and frequent awakenings, short-term memory problems and hot flashes

Pre-menopausal women are the least concerned with experiencing an irregular menstrual period

12


60%

52%

50%

49%

45%

42%

37%

29%

34%

39%

32%

37%

36%

38%

18%

16%

20%

24%

11%

14%

9%

Difficulty withsleep, frequent

awakenings

Hot flashes

Fatigue

Night sweats

Insomnia

Weight gain

Irregularmenstrual

period

Regularly Sometimes Never

Q8. How often have you experienced the following symptoms of menopause?

36%

35%

34%

34%

30%

27%

24%

47%

33%

41%

35%

34%

42%

42%

15%

29%

29%

35%

29%

30%

21%

Mood swings

Joint pain

Decreasedlibido/ sexual

desire

Vaginaldryness

Heavymenstrual

period

Headaches

Short-termmemoryproblems

Regularly Sometimes Never

3 in 5 Regularly Experience Difficulty with Sleep and Frequent Awakenings as a Result of Menopause…

Frequency of Experiencing Menopausal Symptoms

13


4 in 10 Women Say they Feel Frustrated When Experiencing a Hot Flash

Q9.How did you feel or how do you feel when you experience hot flashes? (Select all that apply)

Feelings Associated with Experiencing Hot Flashes

39%

18%

18%

14%

11%

11%

5%

5%

5%

4%

2%

18%

Frustrated

Anxious

Embarrassed

Nervous

Surprised

Angry

Uncomfortable

Worried

Does not affect me

Hot

Annoyed

None of the above

While frustration is the most common feeling associated with experiencing a hot flash, post-menopausal women are more likely than peri-menopausal women to say they felt embarrassed (20% vs. 13%)

On the other hand, peri-menopausal women are more likely than post-menopausal to say they felt surprised (15% vs. 10%) or worried (8% vs. 4%)

Regionally, women in the Maritimes and Alberta are the most likely to say they feel frustrated (53% each vs. ROC: 36%), while women in Quebec are the most likely to say they feel nervous (25% vs. ROC: 11%)

14


More Than Half of Women Said That They Experience Hot Flashes, and When Asked to Describe their Worst Hot Flash, Women Said…

Q10. Please describe, in your own words, what your worst hot flash felt like.

Feelings Associated with the Worst Hot Flash

39%

25%

16%

11%

6%

4%

3%

2%

2%

8%

6%

2%

Extreme/ intense heat

Sweaty

Intensifying internal heat

Trapped

Dizzy/ faint

Out of control

Nauseous

Heart palpitations

Headache

Other

Nothing/ don't have hot flashes

Don't know

“Being dipped

in hot, boiling

oil.”

“Overpowering heat that is totally

uncontrollable and extremely

uncomfortable. You turn red and

flushed and break out in a sweat.”

“The skin on my arms started

tingling and I broke out in a sweat

from head to tow. My clothes

clung to me and the sweat dripped

off my chin.”

“Someone

opened the

door to a steel

making oven.”

“My husband said it was cold in

the house and I said I was

sweating, that I could literally lay

down in the snow and go to sleep

in our backyard.”

“I was sitting in front of the TV and then

I was just hot and wet all over. It only

took a few seconds for it to come on.”

15


7 in 10 Menopausal Women Have Lost Sleep or Sleep Badly Because of Hot Flashes

Q11. How much does each of the following statements describe your experiences with the effects of hot flashes?.

Experiences with Effects of Hot Flashes

31%

28%

14%

42%

41%

34%

32%

27%

30%

52%

57%

74%

74%

92%1%

5%

6%

10%

5%

19%

19%

I have lost sleep or I sleep badlybecause of hot flashes

Due to physical discomfort fromhot flashes, I've lost sleep or sleep

badly

I have had to significantly increasethe number of baths or showers I

take

I have had to significantly increasethe number of times I change or

wash my clothing

I have worn or wear different typesand colours of clothing to helpconceal or minimize hot flashes

As a result of hot flashes, I've hadanxiety in my workplace setting

As a result of hot flashes I've hadto cancel social outings and/or

special events

Describes me completely Describes me somewhat Does not describe me at all

Nearly half of all peri and post menopausal women say that they have had to significantly increase the number of baths or showers they take, especially post-menopausal women (16% vs. peri: 10%), and an additional 2 in 5 say they have had to significantly increase the number of times they change or wash their clothing

1 in 4 menopausal women say that as a result of hot flashes, they have had anxiety in their workplace setting

Women & PhysiciansWomen & Physicians- Knowledge and - Knowledge and Discussions -Discussions -

17


Only 6 in 10 Physicians and Half of Women Say They Are Satisfied With The Treatment Options for Menopause

Q11. How satisfied are you with current treatment options for menopause?

Satisfied:

61%

Satisfaction with Available Treatment Options - Physicians

4%

35%

52%

9%

Very satisfied

Somewhat satisfied

Not very satisfied

Not at all satisfiedDissatisfied: 39%

Q21. Overall, on a scale of 1 to 10, how satisfied have you been with the

therapies or treatments you have used for the symptoms of menopause?

Satisfaction with Therapies or Treatments Used (Mean = 6.4) - Women

51%

27%22%

Satisfied (7 to 10) Neutral (5 or 6) Dissatisfied (1 to 4)

6 in 10 physicians say they are satisfied with the current treatment options for menopause, but only half of women who have used treatments say the same

18


Knowledge on Manopause - Women

4%

23%

44%

28%Very good

Good

Fair

Poor

Physicians Do Not Rate Women’s Knowledge of Menopause as Highly as Women Themselves Do

Q9. How would you rate your patients’ initial knowledge on menopause and

its symptoms?

Very good/

Good: 72%

Fair/ Poor: 27%

Q3. How would you rate your knowledge on menopause and its symptoms?

Knowledge on Menopause - Physicians

7%

41%

44%

7%

Very good

Good

Fair

Poor

Very good/

Good: 50%

Fair/Poor: 50%

While over 7 in 10 women consider themselves knowledgeable on this topic, only half of physicians consider their female patients to be knowledgeable about menopause

Furthermore, 3 in 10 women consider their knowledge to be very good while less than 1 in 10 physicians would say the same of their female patients

19


1 in 4 Women Do Not Realize that If Their Period Stops for a Whole Year, They Have Reached Menopause

96%

92%

92%

84%

79%

4%

15%

18%

8%

4%

2%

1%

4%

2%

Each woman experiences thesymptoms of menopause differently

Menopause commonly happens towomen between the ages of 42 and

56

During menopause a woman's bodyprocesses less hormones (estrogen

and progesterone)

Menopause can have a profoundaffect on a woman's quality of life

Mood swings and irritability aresymptoms of menopause

Agree Disagree Don't know

Q4. How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

76%

36%

24%

20%

8%

20%

57%

59%

72%

86%

7%

17%

8%

6%

4%A women has reached menopausewhen her period stops for a whole

year

Women lose interest in sex once theystart menopuase

Menopause causes a decrease incognitive ability

Once a woman experiences thesymptoms of menopause she cannot

become pregnant anymore

All women experience extremesymptoms during menopause


Peri-menopausal women are the most likely to agree that “mood swings and irritability are symptoms of menopause” (85% vs. pre: 77% and post: 78%) and more likely than pre-menopausal women to agree that “menopause can have a profound affect on a woman’s quality of life” (87% vs. 78%)

Regionally, women in Quebec disagree the most that “each woman experiences the symptoms of menopause differently” (7% vs. ROC: 2%) and “mood swings and irritability are symptoms of menopause” (28% vs. ROC: 15%)

20


Proactively Discussing Menopause – Nearly All Doctors Say they Do, but Less than Half of Women Say this is True for Them While nearly 100% of Physicians say they proactively discuss menopause with patients

over the age of 40, less than half of women say their doctor has done so

Women

Don't know2%

Yes47%No

51%

Q42. Has your physician proactively spoken to you about menopause and its

symptoms?

Q1. How often do you proactively discuss menopause and its symptoms with

women patients over the age of 40?

Physicians

1%

23%

3%

72%

Often

Sometimes

Not very often

Never

Proactively

Discuss: 99%

21


Physicians Generally Initiate Discussions About Menopause with Female Patients Between Age 41 to 50

Women

2%

10%

25%

37%

25%

35 oryounger

36 to 40 41 to 45 46 to 50 Over 50

Physicians

7%

44%

35%

14%

39 to 40 41 to 45 46 to 50 50 and over

Physicians say they most commonly initiate discussions about menopause with female patients between the age of 41 to 45 (44% vs. women: 25%), but women are most likely to say their physician did so slightly later, at age 46 to 50 (37% vs. physicians: 35%)

Women are also more likely than physicians to say their doctor proactively discussed menopause with them before the age of 41 (12% vs. physicians: 7%) or after age 50 (25% vs. physicians: 14%)

Q2. At what age do you initiate discussions about menopause and its

symptoms with your patients? Q43. At what age did your physician initiate this discussion with you?

22


Women Generally Initiate Discussions About Menopause with Physicians Between Age 41 to 50

Women vs. Physicians

2%

11%

28%

36%

23%

8%

44%

37%

11%

1%

35 or younger 36 to 40 41 to 45 46 to 50 Over 50 My patients generallydo not start

conversations withme about menopauseWomen Physicians

Both women and physicians are in agreement that women generally discuss menopause with their doctor between the age of 41 to 50 (women: 64% and physicians: 81%)

Women, however, are more likely than physicians to say they spoke with their doctor before the age of 41 (13% vs. physicians: 8%) or after age 50 (23% vs. 11%)

Q3. At what age do women start asking you questions about menopause?Q45. At what age did you speak with your physician about menopause?

23


Primary Reason Women Initiate Discussions About Menopause - Women and Physicians Differ Differences appear in what women say is and what physicians believe is the primary

reason women initiate discussions

An overwhelming 3 in 4 physicians say to the best of their knowledge, the primary reason women bring up the topic of menopause is their concern about managing symptoms. However, only one quarter of women who have proactively spoken to their physician say this was the reason

Women’s reasons vary, but they most commonly say it was because they were experiencing irregular periods (36% vs. physicians: 17%)

Reason Women Physicians

n= 600 125

Experiencing Irregular Periods 36% 17%

Concerned about managing symptoms 24% 75%

Part of overall health 23% 2%

The right age to speak about menopause 11% 1%

Concerned about Osteoporosis 4% 1%

Experiencing a heavy period (heavy bleeding) 2%

Other 2% 4%

Q4. To the best of your knowledge, what is the primary reason that women

bring up the topic of menopause?

Q46. What was the primary reason you initiated the discussion with your

physician?

Women & PhysiciansWomen & Physicians- Treatments & Therapies - Treatments & Therapies

--

25


Only Half of All women who Have Used A Therapy or Treatment for their Menopausal Symptoms Have Been Satisfied With It

Q21. Overall, on a scale of 1 to 10, how satisfied

have you been with the therapies or treatments

you have used for the symptoms of menopause?

*Note: Small base n, interpret with caution

Satisfaction with Therapies or Treatments Used (Mean = 6.4)

51%

27%22%

Satisfied (7 to 10) Neutral (5 or 6) Dissatisfied (1 to 4)

On average, women rate their satisfaction with the therapies or treatments they have used a 6.4 out of 10 (on a 10 point scale where 10 is very satisfied)

Just over half, say they are satisfied with the therapies or treatments they have used

Women who have used Hormone Replacement Therapy appear to be the most satisfied, as 6 in 10 say so

Satisfaction with treatments or therapies used

Satisfied

Neutral

Dissatisfied Mean

HRT (n=176) 59% 21% 21% 6.7

SERMs (n=11)* 29% 9% 62% 4.5

Custom compounded bio-identical hormones (n=14)* 46% 4% 51% 5.0

Oral Contraceptives (n=38) 49% 30% 22% 6.1

Antidepressants or anti-anxiety drugs (n=100) 39% 34% 27% 6.0

Natural or herbal remedies (n=224) 49% 29% 22% 6.3

Diet and exercise (n=275) 49% 33% 18% 6.3

Reducing stress (n=124) 54% 31% 15% 6.5

Vaginal lubricants or moisturizers (n=131) 53% 25% 22% 6.3

26


Hormone Replacement Therapy Is the Most Commonly Known Treatment

82%

64%

63%

52%

37%

37%

33%

15%

10%

1%

6%

HRT

Diet and exercise

Natural and herbal remedies

Vaginal lubricants/ moisturizers

Reducing stress

Antidepressants ot anti-anxiety drugs

Oral contraceptives

SERMs

Custom compounded bio-identical hormones

Alternative treatments

None

Q17. What therapies or treatments have you heard of which help to alleviate the symptoms of menopause? (Select all that apply)

An additional 6 in 10 women have heard of diet and exercise and natural and herbal remedies and half have heard of vaginal lubricants/moisturizers

Pre-menopausal women, however, are the least aware of: Diet and exercise (56% vs. peri: 68% and post: 70%) Vaginal lubricants or moisturizers (38% vs. peri: 52% and post: 60%) Reducing stress (29% vs. peri: 43% and post: 40%) Antidepressants or anti-anxiety drugs (26% vs. peri: 41% and post: 42%)

27


2 in 10 Physicians Say the Biggest Gap in Treatment Options Available for Menopause is a Need for Effective Treatment with No Side Effects

Q19. What would you identify as the biggest gap in treatment options that are available for menopause?

Gaps in Treatment Options

Need treatment that is both effective/has no side effects

20%

Need scientific data/studies with no bias/more studies

16%

HRT without risks or side effects 12%

More non-hormonal options/more effective non-hormonal treatments

11%

Not enough treatment options/alternative therapies

7%

Effective treatment for hot flashes 7%

Safety 7%

Need effective treatment for minor symptoms 5%

Knowledge/info about alternative or natural therapies

4%

Concerned about potential/various side effects of HRT

3%

More discussion between doctors and patients needed

3%

Availability 2%

Need a treatment that can be used for more than 4 or 5 years

1%

Other 7%

Nothing 1%

Don't know/refuse 4%

While opinions vary as to what physicians believe the biggest gap in treatment options is, 2 in 10 say it is a need for treatments that are both effective and have no side effects

The next three most common mentioned gaps are:

Need for more quality research HRT without risks or side effects Need for more effective non-

hormonal options

Less than 1 in 10 physicians say not enough treatment options/alternative therapies, the need for an effective treatment for hot flashes, and safety are the biggest gaps in treatment options available for menopause

28


Both Women and Physicians Site a Need for Safer Alternatives as the Most Common Reason for More Non-Hormonal Therapies

Q17A. Why do you think there is a need to have more proven non-hormonal

therapies?

Q30A. Why do you think there is a need to have more proven non-hormonal

therapies?

Womens Top Reasons for More Proven Non-Hormonal Therapies

36%

18%

9%

6%

3%

3%

6%

14%

Safter/ Less Risk/ Fewer Side Effects

Dislike Hormonal Therapies/ Prefer Natural

To have more options/ choices

To relieve women who experiencesymptoms of menopause, give them a

better quality of life

To help women who can't take hormonaltherapy because of health related

problems or heredity

Therapies available are not effectiveenough/ are not effective for all women

Other

Don't know

Physicians Top Reasons for More Proven Non-Hormonal Therapies

30%

19%

10%

4%

3%

3%

3%

7%

7%

Need more alternatives and options withfewer risks

Women are reluctant to take HRT/ HRT notpopular with women

People prefer natural remedies/ patientdemand & satisfaction

Some non-hormonal therapies provenunsafe or ineffective

HRT temporary/ can only take HRT for 5years

HRT not a good choice/ good options forcertain high risk groups

Patients are using non-hormonal therapiesanyway

Other

Don't know/ refuse

While female physicians gave “women are reluctant to take HRT” as the top reason for needing to have more proven non-hormonal therapies, male physicians said that there is a need for “more alternatives and options with fewer risks”

29


3 in 4 Physicians Recommend HRT to Patients, But Less than 1 in 7 Women Would Recommend HRT to Another Woman

Top 5 Treatments or Therapies Recommended By Physicians to Women

73%

31%

19%

10%

7%

HRT

Natural or herbalremedies

Diet and exercise

Antidepressantsor anti-anxiety

drugs

Dixarit

Top 5 Treatments or Therapies Recommended By Women to Other Women

53%

39%

33%

22%

13%

36%

Diet and exercise

Reducing stress

Natural or herbal remedies

Vaginal lubricants or moisturizers

HRT

I do not recommend any treatmentsor therapies to other women

The treatments or therapies physicians most often recommend to menopausal women are different from what women recommend to other women

While 3 in 4 physicians recommend HRT to patients, less than 1 in 7 women would recommend HRT to another woman

Rather, the most common treatment or therapy women recommend to other women, with over half saying so, is diet and exercise (53% vs. physicians: 19%)

Q12. What therapies or treatments do you recommend most often to women

who are going through menopause?

Q31. What treatments or therapies do you recommend to other women?

(Select all that apply)

30


Physicians Appear to be Uninformed as to What Therapies or Treatments Women Most Often Recommend

Physicians - Top 5 Treatments or Therapies Women Recommend to Other Women

49%

42%

5%

5%

2%

1%

9%

5%


HRT

SERMs

Vaginal hormones

Antidepressants or anti-anxietydrugs


Other

Don't know/ refuse

Physicians do not appear to be aware of the types of treatments or therapies women recommend to other women as nearly half of all physicians said HRT or natural or herbal remedies, when in fact, women recommend diet and exercise most often

Q16. What therapies or treatments do women most often recommend to

their friends?

Top 5 Treatments or Therapies Recommended By Women to Other Women

53%

39%

33%

22%

13%

36%

Diet and exercise

Reducing stress



HRT

I do not recommend any treatmentsor therapies to other women

Q31. What treatments or therapies do you recommend to other women?

(Select all that apply)

31


Half of All Physicians Whose Patients Request a Treatment or Therapy Recommended by a Friend, Say Women Recommend Natural or Herbal Remedies the Most to Friends

Physicians' Experience with Women Requesting Treatments Recommended by Their Friends

No, 42%

Yes, 58%

3 in 5 physicians say women often come in requesting a treatment or therapy recommended by a friend, with half of these physicians saying women most often recommend natural or herbal remedies to their friends

An additional 2 in 5 physicians say women recommend Hormone Replacement Therapy the most often, with male physicians (53% vs. female: 20%) and those in eastern Canada (58% vs. central Canada: 28%) saying so the most

Q15. Do women often come in requesting a treatment or therapy that was

recommended by a friend of theirs?

Types of Treatments Recommended By Women to other Women

49%

42%

5%

5%

2%

1%

9%

5%


HRT

SERMs

Vaginal hormones

Antidepressants or anti-anxiety drugs


Other

Don't know/ refuse

Q16. What therapies or treatments do women most often recommend to their

friends?

32


2 in 5 Post-Menopausal Women Have Been on a Treatment They Have Stopped

Influences to Stop Treatment

31%

22%

20%

16%

11%

Your doctor took you off of it

You read or saw somethingabout the treatment that made

you want to stop

You stopped needing it

It wasn't working

Other

Q28. What influenced you to stop the treatment? Q29. What did you do after you stopped the treatment?

Actions After Stopping Treatment

41%

24%

11%

6%

19%

Didn't feel a diff erence, so Ididn't do anything

Haven't found anything toreplace the treatment

Found another treatment thatworked

Wish you were still taking thetreatment

Other

1 in 3 women have been on a treatment that they have stopped, with post-menopausal women saying so more than those who are peri-menopausal

3 in 10 women say they stopped the treatment because their doctor took them off of it, with women in Quebec more likely than those in Ontario, the Prairies and Alberta to say so (49% vs. 26%, 15% and 9%, respectively)

Been on Treatment and Stopped

33%

17%

41%

Total Peri-Menopausal Post-Menopausal

Yes

Q27. Have you been on a treatment that you have stopped?

33


2 in 5 Women Who Say Menopause Has Had an Impact on Their Daily Life Are Willing to Pay as Much as They Need For a Treatment That Alleviates Their Symptoms

Q19. Which one of the following statements best describes the way you have selected or would select treatments or therapies relative to their cost?

Willingness to Pay for Treatment by Impact of Menopause on Daily Life

39%

21%

20%

19%

22%

25%

18%

35%

I will pay as much as I need to in order to get a treatment ortherapy that alleviates my symptoms

I compare prices of different treatments and therapies priorto purchasing one

I look for the most inexpensive treatments or therapies aslong as they alleviate some of my symptoms

Don't know

Impact Total

While only 2 in 10 women say they would pay as much as they need in order to get a treatment or therapy that alleviates their symptoms, 2 in 5 women who say menopause has an impact on their daily life, would do so

Post-menopausal women are also more likely than peri-menopausal women to say they will pay as much as they need in order to get a treatment or therapy that alleviates their symptoms, while pre-menopausal women are more likely to say they would compare prices of different treatments and therapies prior to purchasing one

Communication and Communication and EducationEducation

35


Physicians Appear to Think Gender Plays a Larger Role in Woman’s Comfort in Speaking About Menopause

While 6 in 10 women say gender does not matter to them when speaking to a doctor about menopause, the majority of doctors think that women are more comfortable speaking to a female doctor about menopause (45% do not think gender plays a role)

Gender Preference - Physicians

Don't know, 3%

Female doctor, 51%

Male doctor, 2%

I don't think gender plays a role, 45%

Q5. Do you think that women are more comfortable speaking with a

female doctor or a male doctor about menopause?

Gender Preference - Women

Female, 37%Gender does not matter to

me, 58%

Don't know, 2%

Male, 4%

Q47. Do you prefer to speak with a male doctor or a female doctor about

menopause?

36


Women

1%

29%

65%

5%

Very comfortable

Somewhatcomfortable

Not verycomfortable

Not at allcomfortable

Physicians are Aware of Women’s Comfort Levels in Speaking About The Physical Effects of Menopause

Q7A. How comfortable do you think your patients are with discussing the

physical effects of menopause with you (i.e. hot flashes, irregular period,

and weight gain)? Are they…

Over 1 in 3 of women say they are not completely comfortable in speaking with their physician about the physical effects of menopause and physicians agree

Physicians

3%

33%

65%

Verycomfortable

Somewhatcomfortable

Not verycomfotable

Uncomfortable: 36%

Q48A. How comfortable are you in speaking with your physician about the

physical effects of menopause (i.e. hot flashes, irregular period, weight gain

etc.)?

Uncomfortable: 35%

37


4 in 10 Of the Women Who are Uncomfortable Speaking With Their Physician about the Physical Effects of Menopause, Say It Is Because Their Physician is Male

Q48B. Why are you not comfortable speaking with your physician about the physical effects of menopause?

Women's Reasons for Being Uncomfortable Speaking with Their Physician (Physical Effects)

25%

21%

5%

5%

3%

5%

2%

37%My physician is male and I find it

difficult to speak with him about thingslike this

Menopause is a natural transition, I donot require my doctor's input

It's a very personal/ private matter

Doctor is too busy

Doctor is not open to discussion

Other

No particular reason, just notcomfortable speaking about it

Don't know

38


Physicians are Also Aware of Women’s Comfort Levels Around Speaking About The Emotional Effects of Menopause

Q8A. How comfortable do you think they are with discussing the emotional

effects of menopause with you (i.e. mood swings)? Are they…

Physicians

4%

45%

51%Very comfortable

Somewhatcomfortable

Not verycomfotable

Uncomfortable:

49%

Q49A. How comfortable are you in speaking with your physician about the

emotional effects of menopause (i.e. mood swings)?

Women

8%

32%

2%

58%

Very comfortable

Somewhatcomfortable

Not verycomfortable

Not at allcomfortable

Uncomfortable:

42%

More than 4 in 10 (42%) women say they are not completely comfortable with discussing the emotional effects of menopause with their physician. Almost half (49%) of physicians realize that.

39


4 in 10 Of the Women Who are Uncomfortable Speaking With Their Physician about the Emotional Effects of Menoapuse Say That It Is a Very Personal/Private Matter

Q49B. Why are you not comfortable speaking with your physician about the emotional effects of menopause?

Women's Reasons for Being Uncomforable Speking with Their Physician (Emotional Effects)

23%

20%

8%

1%

2%

5%

2%

40%It's a very personal/ private matter

Menopause is a natural transition, I do notrequire my doctor's input

My physician is male and I find it difficult tospeak with him about things like this

Doctor is not open to discussion

Doctor is too busy

Other

No particular reason, just not comfortablespeaking about it

Don't know

40


3 in 10 Physicians Say they Have Not Been Provided With Enough Counsel and Treatment Options on the Issue of Menopause To Adequately Provide Alternatives to Patients While 7 in 10 physicians agree with the statement “You have been provided with enough

council and treatment options on the issue of menopause to adequately provide alternative to patients”, 3 in 10 say they have not

Male physicians are more likely than female physicians to somewhat disagree (30% vs. 12%)

6%

24%

55%

15%

Stronglyagree

Somewhatagree

Somewhatdisagree

Stronglydisagree

Q18. How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement: “You have been provided with enough council and treatment options on the issue of

menopause to adequately provide alternatives to patients.”

Agree: 70%

Disagree: 30%

Information on Information on MenopauseMenopause

42


5 in 10 Women Have Looked for Information on Menopause 4 in 10 women say that if they were to look for information on menopause, they would

look for information on symptoms, especially pre-menopausal women (51% vs. peri: 36% and post: 34%)

While an additional 1 in 5 say they would look for information on treatments, 3 in 10 say they do not know what information they would look for

While half say they have looked for information on menopause, its symptoms and treatments, pre-menopausal women are the least likely to have done so (22% vs. peri: 61% and post: 57%)

Q37. Have you looked for any information on menopause, its symptoms or

treatments?

Percentage of Women That Have Looked for Information

48%

22%

61% 57%

Total Pre-menopausal(no symptoms)

Peri-menopausal

Post-menopausal

Types of Information Women Look For

22%

11%

5%

4%

5%

7%

28%

38%Symptoms

Treatments

Duration and length of menopause

Medical information (unspecified)

Side effects of the hormonal theray

Other

None

Don't know

Q36. If you were to look for information on menopause, what type of information

would you look for?

43


Women Who Have Looked For Information On Menopause, Have Looked to The Internet the Most

Q38. Where did you look for this information? (Select all that apply)

Most Common Sources of Information

78%

63%

58%

44%

39%

14%

2%

Internet

Healthcareprofessionals

Books

Magazines

Friends

TV

Other

8 in 10 women say they have looked to the internet for information on menopause

While women in Quebec are the least likely to have looked on the internet they are more likely than those in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia to have turned to television for menopausal information

An additional 3 in 5 women say they turned to healthcare professionals or books, especially those who are post-menopausal

Women in Alberta are also more likely than those in the Maritimes, Ontario or British Columbia to have turned to healthcare professionals

4 in 10 women have also turned to Magazines and Friends

44


3 in 10 Women are NOT Confident With Menopause Information Provided to Them By Friends 3 in 10 women, are not confident with information provided by friends, with post-

menopausal saying so the most

Post-menopausal women are also the most likely to say they are not confident in information provided to them by books and more likely than pre-menopausal women to say they are not confident in information provided by healthcare professionals, magazines and TV

While women in the Prairies and BC are more confident in the internet, women in Quebec are more likely than women in Ontario or out west to be confident in TV

8 in 10 women say it was easy for them to find information about menopause that they trusted

Confidence With Sources of Information

90%

79%

72%

67%

49%

6%

39%

4%

9%

9%

7%

9%

12%

65%

27%

19%

12%

26%


Books

Internet

Friends

Magazines

TV

Confident Not confident Don't know

Q39. How confident are you with information that is provided about menopause

from…?

Ease of Finding Information

Don't know6%

No15%

Yes79%

Q40. Was it easy for you to go find information about menopause that you

trusted?

45


The Majority of Women are Not Interested in a Forum to Speak with Other Women About Menopause and the Experiences Associated with It Women appear to be the least

interested in a forum to speak with other women about menopause and the experiences associated with it, as the majority say they are not interested

While women in BC are the most interested in a Canada specific online resource on menopause, women in the Maritimes are the most interested in a forum to speak with other women about menopause

Women in Quebec are more interested than those in the Maritimes, Ontario or the Prairies in having brochures about menopause and its effects available at their doctor’s office

Post-menopausal women appear to be the least interested in all of these sources of information:

Brochures about menopause A Canada specific online resource on

menopause Articles about menopause and its effects

in women’s magazines (800) line to discuss menopause A forum to speak with other women

about menopause

Interest in Following Options

73%

72%

70%

55%

26%

45%

43%

29%

27%

54%

Brochures about menopause andits effects available at your

doctor's office

A Canada specific online resourceon menopause

Articles about menopause anditseffects in women's magazines

Health care professionalsavailable on a (800) line to discuss

menopause

A forum to speak with otherwomen about menopause and the

experiences associated with it

Interested Not interested

Q51. How interested would you be in the following?

46


Women Turn to the Internet the Most for Information on Menopause

Q24. What sources do women tell you they use to get information about

menopause?

Physicians - Sources Women go to for Information

58%

43%

40%

11%

11%

6%

5%

2%

Internet

Friends

Magazines

Other healthcare professionals

TV

Books

Other

My patients do not tell me where theyget information about menopause from

Q38. Where did you look for this information? (Select all that apply)

Women - Most Common Sources of Information

78%

63%

58%

44%

39%

14%

2%

Internet


Books

Magazines

Friends

TV

Other

It appears women tell their doctor they use the internet the most for information as physicians say women tell them they use the internet more than any other source

While friends is the second most common source of information doctors say women tell them about, women say they turn to healthcare professionals, books and magazines more than friends

47


While Only 2 Per Cent of Physicians Encourage Women to Seek Information Through Friends, Over 4 in 10 say Women Get Their Information from Friends

Places Physicians Encourage Their Patients to Look for Information On Menopause

59%

41%

14%

9%

7%

2%

1%

5%

20%

Internet

Other healthcare professionals

Books

Magazines

Handouts, leaflets, pamphlets

Friends

TV

OtherI do not encourage my patientsto seek information anywhere

Q23. Where do you encourage women going through menopause to seek

information?

Places Women tell Their Physician That They Look For Information

58%

43%

40%

11%

11%

6%

1%

5%

2%

Internet

Friends

MagazinesOther healthcare

professionalsTV

Books

Other media

OtherMy patients do not tell me

where they get information

Q24. What sources do women tell you they use to get information about

menopause?

6 in 10 physicians encourage women going through menopause to seek information on the internet, and just as many say women tell them they use the internet to get information about menopause

Half of male physicians say women tell them they get information from magazines while only 1 in 5 female physicians say the same

48


Most Women are Aware of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Canadian Women’s Health Network

5 in 10 women have heard of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Canadian Women’s Health Network, but only 5 per cent have heard of the North American Menopause Society and 3 per cent have heard of A Friend Indeed

While women in Ontario are the most likely to be familiar with the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, women in Quebec are the most likely to have not heard of any of these organizations

Post-menopausal women, however are more aware than pre-menopausal women of all of these organizations, with the exception of a Friend Indeed

Familiarity with Organizations

55%

5%

3%

28%

56%

Society ofObstetricians

andGynacologists

CanadianWomen's Health

Network

North AmericanMenopause

Society

A Friend Indeed

None of theAbove

Q41. Which of the following organizations have you heard of? (Select all that apply)

Women’s Attitudes Women’s Attitudes on Age, Health and on Age, Health and

MenopauseMenopause

50


3 in 4 Women Agree “50 is the New 40”

Over 50 per cent of women say they “see menopause as the beginning of an exciting phase of my life”

While post-menopausal women are the most likely to agree with this statement, pre-menopausal women are the most likely to disagree

Similarly, post-menopausal women are the most likely to say that “I am (was) looking forward to menopause because I will no longer have to worry about birth control”, while pre-menopausal women are the most likely to disagree

Post-menopausal women, however, are the most likely to disagree that:

“I am afraid that menopause will bring lower energy levels and impact my efficiency at work”

“I am always afraid of when my symptoms may strike”

“I am worried about the long term impact of menopause on my overall health”

84%

74%

53%

43%

30%

27%

15%

13%

62%

69%

83%

84%

7%

6%

5%

7%

4%

2%

3%

42%

14%

52%

40%

17%

53%

9%

2%As I get older, I feel more self confident

50 is the new 40

I see menopause as the beginning of anexciting phase of my life

I am (was) looking forward to menopausebecause I will no longer have to worry

about birth control

I am worried about the long term impact ofmenopause on my overall health

I am afraid that menopause will bringlower energy levels and impact my

efficiency at work

I am always afraid of when my symptomsmay strike

I find it difficult to talk about thesymptoms of menopause

I am saddened by the fact that I will not beable to have children after going through

menopause


Q35. How much do you agree with each of the following statements?

51


Contact Information

For more information about this project, please contact:

Dimitra Maniatis, Project [email protected]

Scott Cho, Vice [email protected]

TEL: 416-815-0330

gaps in menopause education - presentation -

Documents