RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, in 2004, as part of its nationwide information campaign to raise awareness about the resources available relating to the benefits and risks of hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms, the Food and Drug Administration of the United States Department of Health and Human Services designated September as National Menopause Awareness Month; and

WHEREAS, in 2005, more than fifty million American women were affected by menopause; with more than 156,239 women in Hawaii over fifty years of age, many are experiencing the effects of menopause; and

WHEREAS, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, "the result will be a national health concern of dramatic proportions, unless women are better educated about the changes of menopause and the measures that can prolong and enhance their lives"; and

WHEREAS, to avert the potential national health crisis, the federal Food and Drug Administration's Office of Women's Health provides women with the latest, most helpful educational information on menopausal hormonal therapy to help women make the best decision for them; and

WHEREAS, if not properly treated by a trained physician or nurse practitioner, the health risks of pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women can result in an increased number of women afflicted by osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, in addition to living with other symptoms that affect quality of life, such as rapid heart beat, depression, and hot flashes; and

WHEREAS, estrogen depletion, which occurs in menopause, results in an increase in cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis, resulting in more than five hundred thirty thousand deaths of women each year; these numbers could reach staggering proportions with the aging of the "Baby Boom" generation; now, therefore,

WHEREAS, because menopause is a serious public health issue, as well as a significant concern for individual women, at least fifteen states have followed the United States Food and Drug Administration and declared September as "Menopause Awareness Month" in their own state; and

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Legislature supports the United States Food and Drug Administration's national information campaign to raise awareness about the recent findings on the risks and benefits of menopausal hormone therapy by educating women about menopausal hormone therapy choices; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED in further support of the Food and Drug Administration's national information campaign, the Legislature also designates September 2006 as Menopause Awareness Month in Hawaii; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health, the President of the Hawaii Medical Association, and the President of the Board of Directors of the American Menopause Foundation.

Report Title:

Menopause Awareness Month; September 2006