Objectives: To determine (i) the prevalence and severity of climacteric symptoms, and (ii) the prevalence of treatment for climacteric complaints, in a population based, random sample of Swedish women aged 46-62 years.
Material and methods: A random sample of 5990 women from the birth cohorts 1946, 1942, 1938, 1934 and 1930, resident in the city of Göteborg, was obtained from the population register. The women were invited by letter to complete a questionnaire concerning general health, reproductive history, climacteric symptoms (severity graded on a scale 0,1,2,3) and the treatment of climacteric complaints. The overall response rate was 76%.
Results: The prevalence of climacteric symptoms was as follows: vasomotor symptoms 53%, depression/irritability 57%, sleeping disturbance 52%, muscle/joint pain 57%, loss of libido 37% and vaginal dryness 21%. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with medium potency estrogens was currently being used by 13.4% and 7.7% were using low potency estrogens. Medium potency estrogens had previously been used by 14% and 6% had used low potency estrogens. HRT was reported to be effective against the most common climacteric complaints in 70%-90%. Non-hormonal treatment regimens had been used by 45% of the women and 31-63% reported a positive effect on climacteric symptoms.
Conclusions: Although the majority of peri- and postmenopausal women reported suffering from climacteric complaints only 21% were current users of estrogens. Non-hormonal treatment modalities had been used by 45% of the women and were reported to have a good effect on climacteric symptoms in 45% compared to up to 90% of the HRT users.