PREVALENCE OF GENITOURINARY AND OTHER CLIMACTERIC SYMPTOMS IN 61-YEAR-OLD WOMEN

In a population-based cohort study, 1280 women, aged 61, were intervie wed regarding their genitourinary and other postmenopausal symptoms by means of an anonymous questionnaire. The group selected was to consti tute all women of 61 years of age living in Uppsala county, Sweden. Th e response rate was 84%. All were postmenopausal women. Seventy-three percent of the women answering admitted some degree of urinary inconti nence and 33% more severe degree. Forty-nine percent reported some deg ree of stress incontinence, 25% a more severe degree. Thirty-one perce nt experienced urge incontinence, 14% severely. A minority (4%), had h ad more than two urinary infections during the last year. The majority (67%) had changed urinating habits, going to the toilet at night and a minority complained of increased frequency of micturation (8%). Of t he participating women, 59% were still sexually active, 43% had troubl e with vaginal dryness and 10% with vaginal burning. Vasomotor problem s such as hot flushes (30%), daily (33%) and nightly sweating (36%) we re all common troubles. Forty-seven percent of the women had asked for medical help for estrogen deficiency problems, 82% were satisfied wit h the help they had received. Thirty-four percent were on estrogen the rapy, 16% had systemic therapy 18% low dose estrogen treatment.