Patient Portals Help Women Understand Menopause and Make Healthy Choices
Author Information
Author(s): Roshni Singh, Fei Tang, Diana Ruiz, Stuti Dang
Primary Institution: Miami VA Healthcare System
Hypothesis
The MEANS intervention using the MyHealtheVet portal will improve shared decision-making and healthy behavior adoption among perimenopausal women.
Conclusion
The MEANS intervention effectively enhanced shared decision-making and encouraged healthy behaviors among menopausal women.
Supporting Evidence
- 57.5% of participants reported that MEANS provided hard-to-obtain information.
- 79% said the intervention increased their understanding of menopause.
- 80% felt more confident discussing menopause treatments with their provider.
- 39% discussed hormone therapy with their providers.
- 46% discussed osteoporosis.
- 33% discussed urinary incontinence.
- 8.1% started taking hormones after the intervention.
- 70% improved their diet.
Takeaway
This study shows that using a patient portal can help women learn more about menopause and make healthier choices.
Methodology
A menopause educational intervention was implemented using the MyHealtheVet patient portal, with participants receiving weekly secure messages.
Limitations
Only a pilot study with a limited sample size and specific demographic.
Participant Demographics
Average age of participants was 53.2 years; 42.4% white, 43.1% black, and 24.2% Hispanic; 63.2% had a college education.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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