OBJECTIVE: To generate real-world evidence documenting the use of prescription and nonprescription therapies recorded by healthcare providers (HCPs) for women experiencing vasomotor symptoms (VMS) associated with menopause.
METHODS: This noninterventional, retrospective, observational cohort study used data from US patient medical records. Participating HCPs were gynecologists, internal medicine/family physicians, or advanced practice providers who typically saw ≥3 women/week presenting with menopausal symptoms. Eligible women presented between January 2016 and December 2019, were 40−60 years of age, and reported experiencing bothersome hot flashes at least twice within 24 hours.
RESULTS: A total of 283 HCPs provided data for 1016 women. The most common symptoms at initial presentation were hot flashes (91.2%), sleep problems (49.9%), and vaginal dryness (47.0%). At least 1 therapy for menopausal symptoms was recorded for 883 (86.9%) women, and, of these women, 611 (69.2%) had documentation of prescription medication, most commonly hormone therapy (70.4%). Nearly 40% of women had no prescription medication documented, and about 13% had no therapy documented. Despite experiencing bothersome menopausal symptoms, about 50% delayed seeking care for >6 months. Women had a mean (SD) of 2.1 (2.0) office visits related to menopause from initial presentation to completion of review, and healthcare resource utilization did vary by treatment status. Subgroup analyses indicated nominal differences in treatment use across ethnic groups and varying prescribing patterns for menopausal symptoms by practitioner type and US region.
CONCLUSIONS: A high proportion of women with VMS had no prescription medication documented and infrequently visited HCPs despite experiencing bothersome menopausal symptoms.
