Objective. To survey women's views on hormone replacement therapy (HRT), alternative therapies and sexual health using the Internet.
Study design and main outcome measures. Three questionnaires were offered on a UK, patient-tailored, independent, clinician-led dedicated menopause website. They covered HRT, alternative therapies and sexual health. The anonymous responses of the users of the website were analysed.
Results. There were 1026, 1072 and 1002 responses for the HRT, alternative therapies and sexual health questionnaires, respectively. On the first, 75% of respondents were in favour of HRT; 36% felt media reports of the risks of HRT had been exaggerated and 73% of women did not know enough about HRT to make informed choices. In relation to alternative therapies, 85% of respondents felt they did not know enough to make informed choices, 71% received no advice before starting an alternative therapy and 69% were unaware of possible interactions. Ninety-five per cent would try alternative therapies before HRT in the belief that they were more natural and 68% were prepared to pay more than £10 a month for such therapies. On the questionnaire on sexual health, 88% of respondents indicated that they believed an active sex life was important. Fifty-three per cent recorded that they experienced dyspareunia, but 51% of women hid their symptoms and 31% made excuses to avoid intercourse; 54% felt their confidence had been adversely affected. Only 20% had discussed their symptoms with health professionals and only 12% were using prescribed treatment.
Conclusions. Online questionnaires are a useful means to obtain data. Our surveys raised several issues, including the observations that the majority of women said they did not know enough about HRT and alternative therapies to make informed choices. There appeared to be many women with vaginal symptoms who had not spoken with a health professional and therefore were untreated.
