Attitude, Practices, and Barriers to Menopausal Hormone Therapy Among Physicians in Saudi Arabia.

Autor:	Qutob RA; Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, SAU., Alaryni A; Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, SAU.; Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, SAU., Alsolamy EN; Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, SAU., Al Harbi K; Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, SAU., Alammari Y; Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, SAU., Alanazi A; Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, SAU., Almaimani MK; Medicine, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, SAU., Alsolami E; Internal Medicine, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, SAU., Hakami OA; Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, King Abdullah Medical City in Holy Capital (KAMC-HC), Makkah, SAU., Alammar AA; Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, SAU., Abuthyab RZ; Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, SAU., Alabdulkarim LH; Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, SAU., Aldeham RK; Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, SAU., Alrajhi NAM; Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, SAU., AlMufarrej AA; Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, SAU.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Cureus [Cureus] 2024 Jan 10; Vol. 16 (1), pp. e52049. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Jan 10 (Print Publication: 2024).
DOI:	10.7759/cureus.52049
Abstrakt:	Background: To guarantee the delivery of thorough and scientifically supported menopausal care, it is imperative to allocate resources towards ongoing education and training for physicians. Therefore, it is essential to assess the attitudes, practices, and obstacles faced by physicians in Saudi Arabia when it comes to menopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Method: An online survey was conducted from June to September 2023 to investigate the attitudes, practices, and barriers of physicians in Saudi Arabia, regarding menopausal HRT. The study population consisted of practicing physicians in Saudi Arabia specializing in gynecology, endocrinology, family medicine, internal medicine, and general practice at various levels, including consultants, senior registrars, and residents. The survey link was distributed to the intended research participants in Saudi Arabia using several social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, WhatsApp, and Instagram) utilizing a Google Form hyperlink. Results: A total of 95 physicians participated in this study. A total of 60.0% of the study participants agreed that in general, HRT should be offered to menopausal women who have menopausal symptoms. Besides, around 24.2% of them agreed that in general, HRT should be offered to menopausal women who do not have menopausal symptoms. The most commonly reported methods of obtaining up-to-date information about HRT were Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia publication and journal articles, contributing 36.8% (n=35) and 24.2% (n=23), respectively. The most commonly reported type of systemic (i.e. non-vaginal) HRT for women with premature menopause (menopause <40 years) without contraindications was combined oral contraceptive pill accounting for 33.7% (n=32). More than half of the study participants (53.6%; n=51) reported experiencing difficulty or barriers related to prescribing HRT. The most commonly reported difficulties and barriers related to HRT prescribing were consumer preferences for complementary/alternative therapies, difficulty explaining HRT risks and benefits to women, and lack of suitable HRT products accounting for 27.4% (n=26), 21.1% (n=20), and 16.8% (n=16), respectively. Conclusion: The nuanced perspectives of Saudi Arabian physicians regarding HRT for postmenopausal women are revealed in this study. Electronic published societal guidelines and Ministry of Health publications are examples of vital information resources that physicians must have access to. Difficulties associated with the prescription of HRT, including product shortages and consumer preferences, underscore the criticality of confronting obstacles in clinical practice. Additional investigation is suggested in order to enhance physicians' knowledge and implementation of guidelines, specifically for patient cohorts whose medical histories are unique. Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. (Copyright © 2024, Qutob et al.)
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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