AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMENS ATTITUDES AND EXPECTATIONS OF MENOPAUSE

Introduction: In this study, low-income perimenopausal African-America n women were surveyed to determine knowledge of menopause and hormone replacement therapy (ART). Methods: A 92-item survey assessed percepti ons of menopause and health risks To identify preventive strategies in this population. The nonprobability sample of 197 African-American wo men typically had incomes of <$15,000, age 46-55, high school educatio n or less. Results: Major findings were that African-American women (1 ) experienced expected levels of occurrence of symptoms, but perceived them as not very bothersome, (2) had a knowledge deficit related to m enopause and HRT, and (3) had expectations about menopause that undere stimated their lifetime risk of heart disease. Conclusion: The lack of knowledge about menopause, HRT, and lifetime risks of heart disease s uggests that low-income African-American women need better information for decision making about prevention. However, this sample knew the r ank order of major health risks, Health information to the public and culturally relevant patient education are critical prerequisites to an y preventive behavioral strategies in this population Further research should identify culturally based expectations of disease risk and eff icacy of prevention strategy to tailor messages to particular subpopul ations. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH): menopause, knowledge, attitud es, practice; African-Americans.