Abstract
Aims: This study explores the beliefs and practices of family medicine physicians regarding the use of nonconventional modalities for menopausal symptom management. Methods: Anonymous self-administered questionnaires were distributed to faculty and residents from eight participating family medicine residency programs around Florida, with an overall response rate of 66% (212 respondents). The survey explored what physicians report about patterns of patient inquiries and their responses to patients' inquiries about nonconventional modalities for specific menopausal symptoms and what physicians' report on their advice to patients about using specific herbs and supplements for menopausal symptom relief. Results: Behavioral approaches were encouraged more than herbal therapies, acupuncture, and body therapies for the treatment of most of the menopausal symptoms. However, the most frequent response category was No advice. Resident physicians were significantly more likely than faculty to encourage acupuncture. Faculty physicians were more likely than residents to recommend particular herbal remedies. The majority of the respondents believed there was not sufficient evidence for recommending any of the herbs and supplements listed. Conclusions: These data reveal some important trends about how family medicine physicians respond to nontraditional approaches for menopausal symptom management. Because family medicine physicians typically receive some training in behavioral and psychotherapeutic approaches and there is some evidence for the effectiveness of behavioral strategies in menopausal symptom management, it is not surprising that they are more likely to endorse these approaches. Most family medicine physicians, however, have little or no training in the other nonconventional modalities, and our data show that these modalities received lower levels of endorsement, suggesting that physicians are not clear on their advantages or disadvantages.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 517-525 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of Women's Health |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 2007 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine(all)
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Family medicine physicians' advice about use of nonconventional modalities for menopausal symptom management. / Grant, Kathryn; Burg, Mary Ann; Fraser, Kathryn; Gui, Serena; Kosch, Shae Graham; Nierenberg, Barry; Oyama, Oliver; Allespach, Heidi; Sibille, Kimberly; Spruill, Timothy; Swartz, Virginia.
In: Journal of Women's Health, Vol. 16, No. 4, 05.2007, p. 517-525.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Family medicine physicians' advice about use of nonconventional modalities for menopausal symptom management
AU - Grant, Kathryn
AU - Burg, Mary Ann
AU - Fraser, Kathryn
AU - Gui, Serena
AU - Kosch, Shae Graham
AU - Nierenberg, Barry
AU - Oyama, Oliver
AU - Allespach, Heidi
AU - Sibille, Kimberly
AU - Spruill, Timothy
AU - Swartz, Virginia
PY - 2007/5
Y1 - 2007/5
N2 - Aims: This study explores the beliefs and practices of family medicine physicians regarding the use of nonconventional modalities for menopausal symptom management. Methods: Anonymous self-administered questionnaires were distributed to faculty and residents from eight participating family medicine residency programs around Florida, with an overall response rate of 66% (212 respondents). The survey explored what physicians report about patterns of patient inquiries and their responses to patients' inquiries about nonconventional modalities for specific menopausal symptoms and what physicians' report on their advice to patients about using specific herbs and supplements for menopausal symptom relief. Results: Behavioral approaches were encouraged more than herbal therapies, acupuncture, and body therapies for the treatment of most of the menopausal symptoms. However, the most frequent response category was No advice. Resident physicians were significantly more likely than faculty to encourage acupuncture. Faculty physicians were more likely than residents to recommend particular herbal remedies. The majority of the respondents believed there was not sufficient evidence for recommending any of the herbs and supplements listed. Conclusions: These data reveal some important trends about how family medicine physicians respond to nontraditional approaches for menopausal symptom management. Because family medicine physicians typically receive some training in behavioral and psychotherapeutic approaches and there is some evidence for the effectiveness of behavioral strategies in menopausal symptom management, it is not surprising that they are more likely to endorse these approaches. Most family medicine physicians, however, have little or no training in the other nonconventional modalities, and our data show that these modalities received lower levels of endorsement, suggesting that physicians are not clear on their advantages or disadvantages.
AB - Aims: This study explores the beliefs and practices of family medicine physicians regarding the use of nonconventional modalities for menopausal symptom management. Methods: Anonymous self-administered questionnaires were distributed to faculty and residents from eight participating family medicine residency programs around Florida, with an overall response rate of 66% (212 respondents). The survey explored what physicians report about patterns of patient inquiries and their responses to patients' inquiries about nonconventional modalities for specific menopausal symptoms and what physicians' report on their advice to patients about using specific herbs and supplements for menopausal symptom relief. Results: Behavioral approaches were encouraged more than herbal therapies, acupuncture, and body therapies for the treatment of most of the menopausal symptoms. However, the most frequent response category was No advice. Resident physicians were significantly more likely than faculty to encourage acupuncture. Faculty physicians were more likely than residents to recommend particular herbal remedies. The majority of the respondents believed there was not sufficient evidence for recommending any of the herbs and supplements listed. Conclusions: These data reveal some important trends about how family medicine physicians respond to nontraditional approaches for menopausal symptom management. Because family medicine physicians typically receive some training in behavioral and psychotherapeutic approaches and there is some evidence for the effectiveness of behavioral strategies in menopausal symptom management, it is not surprising that they are more likely to endorse these approaches. Most family medicine physicians, however, have little or no training in the other nonconventional modalities, and our data show that these modalities received lower levels of endorsement, suggesting that physicians are not clear on their advantages or disadvantages.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34250723734&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=34250723734&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1089/jwh.2006.0268
DO - 10.1089/jwh.2006.0268
M3 - Article
C2 - 17521255
AN - SCOPUS:34250723734
VL - 16
SP - 517
EP - 525
JO - Journal of Women's Health
JF - Journal of Women's Health
SN - 1540-9996
IS - 4
ER -