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Factors Affecting Access to Menopause Information

Objective: As female life expectancy increases, women spend a greater proportion of their life in menopause. Menopausal women may benefit from preventive treatments, such as hormone replacement therapy, and are more likely to use medical treatments if they have access to information about menopause. The purpose of this study was to identify women's needs with respect to learning about menopause. Design: A 20‐question survey was administered anonymously to 116 women during outreach programs. Data were separated and evaluated by race and level of education. Results: A significant association was found between access to information about menopause and both race and education level. Being African American or having less than a college education was associated with a twofold risk (p < 0.01) for not having a source of menopause information. A significant relationship was found between a woman's rating of her current knowledge of menopause and access to source of information (p = 0.03); women who did not have an information source felt the least knowledgeable about the subject. Women varied in the ways in which they are comfortable with learning about menopause. Different groups of women seemed to prefer different methods of learning about menopause. Conclusions: Both level of education and race are associated with a woman's ability to obtain information about menopause. To enhance women's understanding of health during menopause, information must be readily available. This information should be presented to women through educational programs that are designed to meet the needs of varied groups of adult women. (Menopause 2000;7:62‐67. © 2000, The North American Menopause Society.)