Menopausal treatment dilemma: a challenge for women and nurses

An important goal of nursing research in women's health is to develop knowledge and identify interventions that strive to promote, maintain, and enhance well-beingfor women. A new emphasis on the quality of life, health promotion, and cost-effective delivery modes has opened the door to nontraditional approachesfor a myriad of disease conditions. As women look to their healthcare providers for information regarding treatments for uncomfortable menopausal symptomatology, inconclusive and contradictory information has added to the confusion concerning hormone replacement therapy (HRT). A woman who has declined traditional treatments for menopausal symptomatology may resort to alternative therapies to meet her healthcare needs. As alternative therapies can be wide-ranging, the woman may seek information from healthcare providers regarding these therapies. Sensitivity to the woman's expressed concerns and knowledge of various traditional and alternative treatment modalities is essential in providing individualized wholistic care. This article reviews the literature and concludes care of perimenopausal/menopausal women who decline, traditional hormone replacement therapy for uncomfortable menopausal symptomatology and seek alternative treatments has received insufficient attention by the medical and nursing profession.