The female perspective: women's attitudes toward urogenital aging

Different perspectives toward symptoms of urogenital aging exist among postmenopausal women, influenced by social and cultural factors, but one constant is that women rarely feel able to discuss urogenital problems freely--with their physicians, husbands, or friends. European women >55 years old were brought up to prize "modesty" and to consider urogenital symptoms as private matters that the woman must solve herself. Sexuality in older age groups is recognized as important, but many postmenopausal women are reluctant to complain of deteriorating sex lives. In spite of a different view of the menopause, similar reticence is found in Japan. Physicians need to be better equipped to improve communications between themselves and their postmenopausal patients.