Awareness of personal healthcare and menopause in menopausal women in Israel.

Background: Menopause affects women's health and well-being, but their knowledge of proper care and maintenance is uncertain.
Objective: To assess the attitude and approach of the healthy, low risk, postmenopausal population in Israel to personal healthcare and menopause.
Methods: The study population comprised 500 menopausal women attending community outpatient primary care clinics. All women completed a 20-item questionnaire covering personal healthcare habits, lifestyle, knowledge about menopause, and attitude and approach to menopause and use of hormone replacement therapy.
Results: The patients' mean body mass index was 25.8 +/- 4.1 kg/m2; more than half the women were overweight, 28% engaged in regular sports activity, and 11.2% smoked; 74% had a positive attitude towards their age; 60% underwent yearly screening mammography; 74% had had Pap smear, and 86% had lipid profile measurements during the last year; self-examination of the breast was regularly performed by only 49%. HRT is currently being used by 27% and had been used in the past by another 16%. The primary reasons for stopping therapy were irregular bleeding in 38% and apparent ineffectiveness in 35%. There was a positive significant correlation between level of education and both undergoing regular medical screening and engaging in regular sports activity. HRT current utilization was negatively associated with age and being a housewife.
Conclusions: A relatively high percentage of the study population safeguards its health and regularly uses HRT. We believe that stronger efforts are needed in Israel to promote good healthcare habits and positive attitudes toward menopause and HRT use.