Menopause. Health promotion opportunities for the occupational health nurse.

1. All women must prepare for their future health as much as they prepare for their future career goals in life. Probably of greatest importance is that this preparation for a continuous state of good health never ends. 2. Not long ago, menopause was considered a short term physiologic event in a woman's life. Now the health care community realizes the short sightedness of this idea, as the effects of estrogen deficiency that begin prior to menopause are lifelong and diverse. 3. One of the most critical health problems facing America today is osteoporosis, a disease causing bones to become thin, fragile, and highly prone to fractures. 4. Prior to menopause, the death and disability rates related to cardiovascular disease in women are relatively low, whereas after menopause, the rates increase sharply. One in 10 American women 45 to 64 years of age have some form of heart disease. Cardiovascular disease kills more women than all forms of cancer combined.