A Clinician's Guide to Menopause

Stewart DE, Robinson GE; eds. 243 pages. Health Press International; 1997. $38.00. ISBN 0880487542.

Field of medicine: Gynecology, psychiatry, and psychology.

Format: Hardcover book.

Audience: The Clinical Practice series is targeted toward clinicians “working outside the hospital setting,” particularly mental health professionals and psychiatrists.

Purpose: To apply the most current research on menopause and its treatment to clinical situations, emphasizing psychological and social factors.

Content: A basic overview of the symptoms and confounding psychosocial aspects of menopause precedes an evenhanded presentation of medical, hormonal, psychological, and psychiatric treatments. A chapter on cultural differences in menopause contains a review of international research and further highlights the variability in the symptomatic definition of menopause and the consequent difficulty of defining the construct “menopause.” The second half of the book frames the process of treating the menopausal patient, suggesting that a combination of medical (pharmacologic) and psychological treatments be considered. A chapter is devoted to each major treatment area: hormone replacement, psychological treatment, and psychopharmacology. The descriptions of treatment are brief but provide a starting point for further investigation.

Highlights: The easy transition from theory to practice and the straightforward presentation of medical research are the book's strong points. Literature reviews providing case examples and up-to-date information on treatment add to the book's clinical usefulness.

Limitations: The descriptions of psychological therapy are very brief and assume that the reader is familiar with the strengths and applicability of such therapies.

Context: A literature search of publications since 1990 did not reveal any comprehensive texts on menopause, although there are many articles on such topics as hormone therapy and the relationship between affective disorders and menopause. This book's unique synthesis of medical and psychological understanding and treatment of menopause is not currently available from other texts.

Reviewer: Kelly E. Arduino, MA, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.

Commentary: The book acknowledges the common misgivings that many women have about menopause and its various treatments. It emphasizes the importance of weighing individual preferences for treatment. This is a scientifically grounded, information-packed overview of menopause recommended for any health care clinician who works with women.

• Copyright ©2004 by the American College of Physicians