Relationship Between Menopause Symptoms and HIV Risk Among Midlife Women in Methadone Treatment: A Pilot Study

This pilot study explores somatic, psychological, and urogenital menopause symptoms associated with HIV drug and sexual risk among midlife women with substance abuse histories in methadone maintenance treatment. The Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) assessed menopause symptoms and severity. The Risk Behavior Assessment assessed demographic characteristics, drug, and sexual risk behaviors. Menopause symptom associations of HIV drug and sexual risk findings indicated that high school graduates and women not having sex with a regular partner scored significantly higher on the MRS somatic symptom subscale. HIV negative women had higher total MRS scores compared with HIV positive women. Forty-six percent of the sample was sexually active with almost half engaged in unprotected sex. Significant associations with sexual risk were high MRS somatic subscale scores with inconsistent condom use for vaginal sex, HIV negative with inconsistent protected vaginal sex, heroin use with having sex while high with HIV negative status. Preliminary data provide a basis for further exploration and designing intervention approaches to reduce HIV risk and further transmission among midlife women in methadone treatment.