WHAT REALLY WORRIES WOMEN
One in three fret about their mental health 37% are ‘very concerned’ about side-effects of HRT A third fear they’re not checking their breasts properly The fascinating results of our women’s health survey — and what you should do to put your mind at ease
Should you take hRT or not? Following confusing messages about the potential risks, it’s a question that troubles many menopausal women. Today, Good health lays bare just how few menopausal women — under one in five — take it, despite official advice that it should be prescribed to them. This is one of the fascinating findings from a new Ipsos MoRI survey the Mail commissioned in association with lloydsPharmacy, involving 2,002 women aged 30 to 80. As Steve howard from lloydsPharmacy explains: ‘We wanted to commission this research to really understand the health concerns affecting women in Britain and the people they care for. The results of this survey show the variety of concerns they face.’
Another of the survey’s key findings is about breast self-examination: the survey suggests many women don’t do this regularly, with a significant proportion of those who do being unsure of how it should be done. As we reveal, this may reflect a lack of agreement among experts about the right approach.
here, we look at what the main findings might mean for you.
WHY FEARS OVER HRT ARE SO WIDESPREAD
WoMEN are avoiding hormone replacement therapy and many still believe it to be unsafe, the survey reveals: only 17 per cent of those who have been through the menopause said they used hRT to help with symptoms.
More than a third of all women — 37 per cent — said they were ‘very concerned’ about the side-effects.
And only 27 per cent felt that the benefits of the treatment outweighed the possible risks.
Even among those currently taking hRT, 40 per cent said they are concerned about the side-effects.
The responses highlight the ongoing concerns over hRT, almost 15 years after it was linked to breast cancer.
Two major studies in 2002 and 2003 suggested it significantly increased the risk of breast cancer and subsequently dying of the illness.
But these findings have since been discredited by other research and many medical professionals believe the benefits outweigh the risks.
In 2015, the health watchdog NICE issued major new guidelines saying GPs should prescribe hRT to up to 400,000 women with severe menopause symptoms. But these results suggest many women are still suspicious of hRT and would rather battle menopause alone.
In fact, women were just as likely to take supplements as hRT — just 17 per cent of those surveyed who’d been through the menopause used hRT, while 18 per cent used supplements such as black cohosh, milk thistle and omega 3.
Yet 77 per cent of the women who had been through the menopause had experienced hot flushes, 63 per cent night sweats and 51 per cent mood swings.
hRT is taken as a pill, patch or cream and contains the female hormones oestrogen and progesterone. These hormones fall during the menopause, causing symptoms such as tiredness, loss of libido, mood swings and hot flushes.
‘Not every woman chooses hRT or can have hRT,’ says dr heather Currie, spokeswoman for the Royal College of obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Chair of the British Menopause Society.
‘This may be because of a personal or family medical history — ie, breast cancer, women may want to try alternative treatment that targets a particular symptom, or they have concerns about the safety and side-effects of hRT.
‘Many studies have been published over the past 15 years that have highlighted the potential risks of hRT. As a result, some women and doctors have been reluctant to use hRT, and women who needed hRT, but avoided it, have suffered unnecessarily.
‘over recent years, re-analysis of the data and consideration of further research has led to a better understanding of the risks of hRT. Evidence shows the risks are small and, for most women, are outweighed by the benefits if treatment is started before 60, or within ten years of the menopause.’
A spokesman for NICE says it is unable to comment on the survey during the pre-election period.
In 2015, when NICE issued guidance, Professor Mark Baker, director of NICE’s Centre for Guidelines, said: ‘Menopause affects millions of women and its symptoms can severely upset dayto-day life. The effects are often misunderstood and underestimated. When women seek medical help for their symptoms, there is considerable variation in what is offered to them.’
THE RISE OF MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS
NEARlY a third of women are worried about their mental health, the survey reveals. A fifth are suffering from a mental health condition such as depression or anxiety — or have done so in the past. In the past 12 months, almost half of women have struggled to sleep and one in eight have had panic attacks. Forty per cent have been stressed and a third felt anxious.
Many said their mental health was affecting their work, social life or ability to take care of themselves and their families.
Some 12 per cent admitted being in ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ health for their age. More than half of women said they were overweight or obese — 53 per cent — and 20 per cent are on a constant diet.
But many women appear to be just as worried about their mental health as long-term physical illnesses.
A total of 30 per cent listed mental health as one of their biggest healthcare concerns.
only obesity and exercise were seen as more important while blood pressure, cholesterol and alcohol all ranked below.
The survey also suggests women are far more susceptible to mental health conditions than men. only 9 per cent said their partner had suffered from a mental health disorder — compared with 18 per cent of women themselves. Experts said women were at a much higher risk due to the pressures of raising a family, juggling careers and caring for parents. They are also more affected by hormonal changes, particularly during pregnancy, after childbirth and during the menopause. on top of all this, women face constant peer pressure to be beautiful, successful and to live their lives to the full, say experts. The 30 to 44 age group appeared to be at particularly high risk of mental health conditions. A total of 52 per cent had been stressed in the past 12 months, 35 per cent suffered from depression and 16 per cent had panic attacks. Charities said women in this age group were under pressure to both start a family and hold down a demanding career.
WHAT THE EXPERTS TOLD US
JENNY EdWARdS, chief executive of the Mental health Foundation, said: ‘This mirrors what we have found in our own research, that women in today’s society are at greater risk of experiencing common mental health problems.
‘Women have many of the same worries as men, but they also tend to carry the emotional burden of worrying more about others.
‘Women also have the added pressure to be thin, beautiful, fashionable, and to be appearing to enjoy their lives.’
Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of the mental health charity SANE, said: ‘These findings come as no surprise, as two-thirds of the people who contact our helpline are women, most commonly in their 30s and 40s. depression, anxiety and other mental health problems are, in our experience, increasing significantly.
‘Women in this age group are subject to often conflicting pressures: raising children later in their lives; struggling to balance the demands of their careers; and at the same time, they are the ones who become carers when elderly
47% Have suffered from lack of sleep in the past year 53% Think they are obese or overweight
parents need to have support.’
Consultant psychiatrist Dr Paul McLaren, medical director of the Priory’s hospital in Hayes Grove, Kent, said: ‘Depression is suffered by more women than men partly as a result of hormonal factors such as menopause or childbirth.
‘Women are also twice as likely to experience anxiety disorders as men. The stress arising from tension between work and raising a young family or challenging teenagers is very real.’
Some 19 per cent of women said they had an established mental health condition or had suffered from one in the past. In addition, another 47 per cent reported trouble sleeping in the past 12 months. Some 34 per cent said they’d felt anxious on occasion in the past year and 25 per cent had experienced feelings of depression.
Women are far more worried about their mental health than how much they drink, their blood pressure or cholesterol levels. The NHS has promised to prioritise mental health amid concerns that it has long been sidelined by physical illnesses such as cancer and dementia. But charities say there is far too little support considering the huge numbers of patients suffering from these conditions. Of the quarter of women who admitted suffering from depression in the past year, just 25 per cent had seen a GP and 8 per cent visited a counsellor.
Ipsos MoRI conducted a survey among a sample 2,002 women aged 30 to 80 across the UK via an online panel between April 26 and May 1. Data has been weighted by age and region to the known population proportions.
25% Have been depressed in the past year