Wactawski-Wende testifies during first congressional hearing on menopause

Jean Wactawski-Wende, SUNY Distinguished Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health and dean of the School of Public Health and Health Professions, was among a select group of experts to testify Sept. 16 before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging’s first hearing on menopause.

She and others argued that more research and better treatment is needed for the approximately 64 million women age 50 or older living in the United States. That number, she noted, is expected to exceed 80 million by 2050.

“More than one million women in the United States enter menopause each year, and nearly every woman who lives long enough will spend one-third or more of her life in the postmenopausal years,” said Wactawski-Wende, whose research has focused on women’s health for the past 40 years, including as a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded investigator for the UB Women’s Health Initiative. “Despite its profound impact on health, quality of life, families, workplaces, and health care costs, menopause and healthy aging in women remains under-studied.”

She emphasized that the United States must increase its investment in research in how hormonal changes associated with menopause influence chronic disease and conditions, including cardiovascular disease, brain health, bone health, metabolic disease, physical function, and healthy longevity.

“Major questions remain on why women outnumber men in cardiovascular disease as they age,” she said. “Women are also more likely to be diagnosed with dementia than men.”

Wactawski-Wende noted that many health care professionals receive limited formal training in menopause management.

“It is imperative that women have access to health practitioners with evidence-informed training on how to best manage health in women as they age,” she said. “During the menopausal transition, symptoms such as hot flashes, sleep disturbance, mood changes, cognitive complaints, genitourinary symptoms and sexual health concerns can significantly affect quality of life. Studies that help women manage these symptoms while balancing the risks of certain interventions are needed.”

She also said that many women mistakenly believe they no longer need to see a gynecologist after they are through their reproductive years.

But the emphasis on older women’s health needs to start when they are young by providing them with information on nutrition, exercise and more to create a foundation that will optimize health as they age.

“Science has demonstrated that the menopause transition can influence multiple dimensions of health and that appropriate prevention measures and medical interventions can improve outcomes and quality of life,” she concluded. “The nation needs a comprehensive strategy that advances research, improves clinical care, promotes healthy aging, addresses health disparities, and empowers women with the information and support they deserve.”

The testimony was organized by Chairman Rick Scott, R-Fla., Ranking Member Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, and honorable members of the Senate Special Committee on Aging.