An interactive video CD-ROM program providing information about menopause will be produced for use at home and in medical settings. In Phase I, we will produce a prototype for the first half of this comprehensive program. This prototype will provide basic information about the physiology of menopause, and about menopausal changes and symptoms, and will provide an overview of the short and long term implications of menopause. In Phase II, we will expand the program by incorporating information about the choices available for menopause symptom management, and provide guidance in the decision-making process. We intend to use an automated individualized decision analysis to produce a utility score for each management option, and design a printed summary of the decision process for each woman.
The format for this interactive education tool makes it attractive to home users as well as to medical clinics, HMOs, libraries, women's centers and other educational resource centers. Using a computer- based educational program is a cost-effective way for health care institutions to disseminate knowledge about methods for relieving menopausal symptoms and preventing health risks associated with decreasing estrogen production. It is a[so an empowering self-help tool or educational centers and for those home users who have a CD-ROM computer.
