Does Menopause Matter?

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案旨在为Rachel Hess博士提供研究经验和分析技能，以成为一名独立的健康服务研究员，强调妇女健康和与健康相关的生活质量（HRQOL）。她将在妇女保健和保健服务研究方面的奖学金培训的基础上，进行正式课程学习，以提高她在流行病学和调查技术、经济理论和确定保健服务利用方面的技能，并指导学习人权生活质量、保健服务利用和统计技术。她得到了医学部、普通内科学部和卫生保健研究中心的支持，并得到了杰出导师的承诺：罗伯塔·内斯，医学博士，公共卫生硕士；凯伦·马修斯博士；和Wishwa Kapoor，医学博士，公共卫生硕士。在导师的帮助下，赫斯博士将研究更年期和激素治疗对HRQOL和HSU的影响。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal is designed to provide Dr. Rachel Hess with the research experience and analytic skills to become an independent health services researcher emphasizing women's health and health related quality of life (HRQOL). She will build on fellowship training in women's health and health services research with formal course work designed to increase her skills in epidemiologic and survey techniques, economic theory, and ascertainment of health services utilization (HSU) and directed study in HRQOL, HSU, and statistical techniques. She has the support of the Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, and Center for Research on Health Care as well as the commitment of exceptional mentors: Roberta Ness, MD, MPH; Karen Matthews, PhD; and Wishwa Kapoor, MD, MPH. With her mentors' assistance, Dr. Hess will study the impact of menopause and hormonal therapy on HRQOL and HSU. Menopause affects all women as they age, yet its affect on HRQOL and HSU is not fully elucidated. Over the next 10 years, 50% of the United States population will be in or entering menopause. In 1997 alone, Americans spent over $21 billion on alternative medical therapies. Use of alternative therapies in menopause is not well quantified. Given the recent evidence of harmful effects of hormone therapy in menopause and the number of women entering menopause, quantifying alternative medication use and investigating its effect on HRQOL and HSU are essential. This study examines the: 1) effect of menopause on HRQOL; 2) use of alternative therapy for menopause and its effects on HRQOL; and 3) impact of menopause on HSU. To accomplish these goals, this study employs a novel, computerized data collection system. This research will develop a context for future studies, including randomized trials of the impact of non-traditional treatments on HRQOL and HSU. It will facilitate the candidate's transition to an independent health services researcher examining the impact of biologic and sociologic factors on HRQOL and HSU.