HYSTERECTOMY EXPERIENCE AMONG MID-AGED AUSTRALIAN WOMEN

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To determine the rate of oophorectomy in, use of hormone replacement therapy by, and health, social and lifestyle factors of, mid-aged Australian women who have undergone hysterectomy. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: A community-based cross-sectional survey by telephone interview of a random sample of 2001 Australian-born Melbourne women aged between 45 and 55 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The health status, sociodemographic and lifestyle correlates of women who had undergone hysterectomy compared with women in the natural menopause transition. RESULTS: Twenty-two per cent of the women had undergone hysterectomy. Of these, 21% had had one ovary removed, and 20% both. Mean age at hystere..