Menopause

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Abstract
This paper reviews and critiques the sparse and largely unsntisfactory literature on the menopause, noting the male perspective in much of the writing and the lack of awareness of the part played by sociocultural factors in problems at-tributed to the menopause. The inappropriate use of estrogen replacement therapy for such problems, particularly in light of recent findings linking such treatment with increased incidence of uterine cancer is also noted. Next the work of Neugarten, of Kraines and of Levit on non-clinical populations is reported. Their research indicates that menopause is not a problem for most women. The cross-cultural studies of Datan and of Bart support the position that problems women have are predominantly culturally rather than hormonally induced. Finally we report Bart's work associating depression in middle aged women, "Portnoy 's Mothers' Complaint," with role loss. The final section of the paper presents unpublished survey data from a Seattle self-helpgroup, Women in Midstream, and from the Boston Women's Health Book Collective.
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