Most Women's Health Records Are Missing This Key Detail, Study Finds
Summary
A study from the University of Colorado found that menopause is often missing from women’s electronic health records, even when women report going through it. Researchers compared survey answers with medical records and found menopause mentioned nearly seven times more in surveys than in health records.Key Facts
- The study analyzed data from about 396,000 women participating in the NIH’s All of Us Research Program.
- Only around 7% of women had menopause information recorded in their electronic health records (EHRs).
- About 14% of women who said they experienced menopause in surveys had it documented in their medical records.
- Menopause is not usually asked about or recorded during medical visits unless the woman mentions it.
- Menopause details often appear only in doctors’ notes, making it harder for researchers to find and use.
- When menopause is noted in records, it usually matches what women say in surveys.
- Missing menopause information makes it difficult to study health issues related to menopause, such as heart disease risks.
- Researchers need better menopause data to understand how menopause affects health differently from aging.
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