What perimenopausal women think about using hormones during menopause.

The purpose of this study was to improve our understanding of women's thoughts about taking hormones during menopause. Analysis of the responses of 61 perimenopausal women resulted in the identification of four categories of factors influencing women's opinions about taking hormones: perceptions of need, perceptions of risk, beliefs and values, and knowledge and information. Women used multiple cognitive processes in forming opinions about taking hormones, and the presence of conflicting factors contributed to their uncertainty. Women's references to interactions with their doctors indicated they preferred to take one of three roles in the decision making process: accepting advice, deciding together, or taking control. These findings indicate that women's decisions about hormone use take place in an arena broader and more complex than heretofore acknowledged in some studies.