Hispanic Women's Experience With “el Cambio de Vida”

Longworth, Judith C. D.

doi:10.1111/j.1745-7599.2003.tb00397.x

Cited by 20 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Understanding the onset of this transition, as well as the development of new therapeutic alternatives for the treatment of menopause has become increasingly important due to concerns regarding the safety of HT, particularly in light of 21st century age demographics 9,10. In the United States, herbal extracts are commonly used Hispanic women to manage their menopausal symptoms, and their use of HT is low, although readily available 13,19. These data mirror the situation in Costa Rica, where there is lower use of HT, and women use specific herbs to manage symptoms during the menopausal transition 13,20-21.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estrogenic effects of herbal medicines from Costa Rica used for the management of menopausal symptoms

et al. 2009

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Objective-Outcomes from the Women's Health Initiative have demonstrated adverse effects associated with hormone therapy (HT), and have prioritized the need to develop new alternative treatments for the management of menopause and osteoporosis. To this end, we have been investigating natural herbal medicines used by Costa Rican women to manage menopausal symptoms.Design-Seventeen plant species were collected and extracted in Costa Rica. To establish possible mechanisms of action, and determine their potential future use for menopause or osteoporosis, the estrogenic activities of the herbal extracts were investigated in an estrogen reporter gene ERβ-CALUX® assay in U2-OS cells, and in reporter and endogenous gene assays in MCF-7 cells.Results-Six of the plant extracts bound to the estrogen receptors. Four of the six extracts stimulated reporter gene expression in the ERβ-CALUX® assay. All six extracts modulated expression of endogenous genes in MCF-7 cells, with four extracts acting as estrogen agonists and two extracts, Pimenta dioica and Smilax domingensis, acting as partial agonist/antagonists by enhancing E2-stimulated pS2 mRNA expression, but reducing E2-stimulated PR and PTGES mRNA expression. Both P. dioica and S. domingensis induced a 2ERE-luciferase reporter gene in transient transfected MCF-7 cells, which was inhibited by the ER antagonist ICI 182780.Conclusions-This work presents a plausible mechanism of action for many of the herbal medicines used by Costa Rican women to treat menopausal symptoms. However, it further suggests that studies of safety and efficacy are needed before these herbs should be used as alternative therapies to HT.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estrogenic effects of herbal medicines from Costa Rica used for the management of menopausal symptoms

et al. 2009

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“…Consequently, many women in the U.S. have chosen alternative treatments for menopause, including botanical dietary supplements (BDS) [5,38,39]. Interestingly, while HRT is readily available for Hispanic menopausal women, studies have shown that Hispanic women in the U.S. are among the ethnic groups least likely to use conventional HRT to treat their menopausal symptoms [30,[40][41][42][43][44]. Meyer, Araliaceae), evening primrose oil (Oenothera biennis L., Onagraceae), black cohosh (Actaea racemosa L., Ranunculaceae; [syn.…”

Section: Attitudes Symptoms and Treatment Of Menopause In The Unitedmentioning

confidence: 99%

Menopause, A Universal Female Experience: Lessons from Mexico and Central America

Mahady

Locklear

Doyle

et al. 2008

CWHR

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In Mexico and Central America, women typically experience menopause up to 10 years earlier than their U.S. counterparts. This may be due in part to numerous pregnancies, long periods of lactation, poor nutrition, extreme environment, and the heavy workload of the Maya women. Unlike Western culture, there is no stigma associated with aging and the menopausal period in the Mayan culture. In fact, menopause is considered to be a welcome natural phenomenon in Central America that all Maya women, who come of age, will experience. Anxiety, negative attitudes, health concerns and stress for the Maya woman are all events that are commonly associated with pregnancy and childbearing, not with menopause. Maya women perceive the menopausal period very positively, as they are no longer burdened with menstrual bleeding and child bearing, and are more relaxed about sexual activities.Thus, compared with their U.S. counterparts, Maya women have a better overall perceptions and attitudes toward the menopausal transition, have symptoms that appear to be short-lived, do not generally use HRT and appear to have a lower prevalence of osteoporosis. Besides genetics, diet and life-style may play a significant role in the overall impact of menopause in these women, as their diet is primarily plant-based, they get plenty of exercise over a lifetime, and they use primarily plant-based medicines and massage to control menopausal symptoms. Thus, the impact of culture and attitude on the menopausal transition in Mexico and Central America appears to be a positive one. Future research should focus on why the prevalence of osteoporosis is low in Maya women and how women in the U.S. might benefit from this information. In addition, collections of data on cognition, as well as cardiovascular and cancer risk between these groups would be of benefit, considering that Maya women do not generally use HRT.

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“…Although HT is available for Hispanic menopausal women in industrialized countries, studies suggest that Hispanic women in the U.S. are among the ethnic groups least likely to use conventional hormone therapy (HT) (Avis, et al, 2001;Gavaler, 2002;Longworth, 2003;Laws & Carballeira, 2003;Mahady, Parrot, Lee, Yun, & Dan, 2003). In one study, only five nonsurgical peri-and postmenopausal women of the 130 Mexican-American women interviewed were using conventional hormone therapy, and in another U.S. study, only three of 20 MexicanAmerican women had ever tried HT (Bell, 1995;Kay, Voda, Olivas, Rios, & Imle, 1982).…”

Section: Treatment Options For Menopausementioning

confidence: 99%

Symptoms, attitudes and treatment choices surrounding menopause among the Q’eqchi Maya of Livingston, Guatemala

Michel

Mahady

Veliz

et al. 2006

Social Science & Medicine

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The present study explored symptoms, attitudes and treatments surrounding women's health and menopause among the Q'eqchi Maya of the eastern tropical lowlands of Guatemala. Data were obtained through participant observation, semi-structured interviews, focus groups and plant walks with 50 Q'eqchi community members from the state of Izabal, Municipality of Livingston, including 5 midwives, 5 traditional male healers and 8 postmenopausal women. Results indicate that the Q'eqchi Maya of Livingston possess their own cultural perceptions of women's health which affect attitudes, symptoms and treatment choices during the menopausal transition. Since discussions of menstruation and menopause are considered cultural taboos among the Q'eqchi, many women mentioned experiencing excessive preoccupation when unanticipated and unfamiliar symptoms occurred. Furthermore, many women suffered from additional hardship when their spouse misinterpreted menopausal symptoms (vaginal dryness, sexual disinterest) as infidelity. Seven of the eight postmenopausal women interviewed indicated experiencing one or more symptoms during the menopausal transition, including headaches, anxiety, muscular pain, depression, and hot flashes. These results differ from the lack of symptomatology reported in previous studies in Mexico, but are in line with the result of menopausal research conducted among other Maya groups from the highlands of Guatemala. Although the Q'eqchi did not use a specific term for "hot flash", three Q'eqchi women used the expression "baja presion" or a "lowering of blood pressure" to explain symptoms of profuse sweating followed by chills, heart palpitations, and emotional instability. The Q'eqchi Maya mentioned a number of herbal remedies to treat menopausal symptoms. Further research on these botanical treatments is needed in order to ascertain their safety and efficacy for continued use.

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Hispanic Women's Experience With “el Cambio de Vida”

Abstract: Nurse practitioners need to understand factors that might influence Hispanic women's decisions regarding management of menopausal symptoms, including the use of HRT, and to be able to assist women in making an individualized personal treatment choice that is culturally acceptable.

Cited by 20 publications

References 37 publications

Estrogenic effects of herbal medicines from Costa Rica used for the management of menopausal symptoms

Estrogenic effects of herbal medicines from Costa Rica used for the management of menopausal symptoms

Menopause, A Universal Female Experience: Lessons from Mexico and Central America

Symptoms, attitudes and treatment choices surrounding menopause among the Q’eqchi Maya of Livingston, Guatemala

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