Perceptions of menopausal symptoms and their treatment: qualitative evidence from interviews with menopausal women in the US, the UK and Germany

Background: Vasomotor symptoms (VMS) are characteristic of the menopause transition and are experienced by 80% of menopausal women. Hormone therapy (HT) is the most effective treatment for VMS but can be associated with safety concerns; however, nonhormonal alternatives are often associated with efficacy and tolerability issues. As a result, many women do not use prescribed treatments. This study aimed to identify factors that influence treatment decisions and preliminarily test the willingness to trade off potential benefits and risks of treatment in menopausal women.