Endocrinology

A presentation made at the March 2005 Understanding Human Sexuality Seminar.

In this paper, I will discuss issues of sexuality as related to ageing, menopause, the body, and power and gender inequity in order to explore the ways in which they shape older womens experiences of sexuality in a South African context. The paper is based on qualitative research conducted in the Psychology Department at the University of Cape Town for a Masters degree in research psychology (Orner, 1996). At the time of conducting this research (1995/96), there was a conspicuous lack of literature and research on issues of ageing, menopause and older womens sexuality in South Africa. Unfortunately, to date this appears not to have changed and the issues raised then are still highly relevant and applicable today.

A medical survey on menopause and its symptoms is underway in six regions of the country. Some women have committed suicide because they confused menopause with HIV/AIDS symptoms. Menopause is the time in a women's life when menstrual periods stop. This occurs when the ovaries naturally begin decreasing the production of sex hormones, oestrogen and progesterone. On average, women reach menopause at the age of 51 years although it can occur earlier between 30 and 40 years and much later at 60 years in some women. Most women, however, experience menopause between 45 and 55 years.

Brittle bone disease or osteoporosis is a major health problem in South Africa, in young and old alike. In fact, more than a third of women over the age of 50 and nearly half of all individuals over 70 are affected by this disease.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Younger women may be able to take hormone replacement therapy without raising their risk of heart disease, U.S. researchers reported on Monday in a study aimed at reducing some of the confusion surrounding HRT.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Younger women may be able to take hormone replacement therapy without raising their risk of heart disease, U.S. researchers reported on Monday in a study aimed at reducing some of the confusion surrounding HRT.

Six million South Africans are at risk for developing osteoporosis, warn experts on National Osteoporosis Day. Without symptoms or warning, osteoporosis strikes one in three women over 50 (more than breast cancer) and one in five men (more than prostate cancer), heedless of gender, class and race.

Two types of hormone replacement therapies (HRT) increase a woman's risk of developing womb cancer, scientists said on Friday.

Children who develop diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa are dying within a year for want of insulin, a drug which keeps hundreds of thousands of young people well in the UK, experts are warning. Supplies of the drug and the syringes needed for daily injections are erratic in many places in Africa and some families walk 250 miles to get the insulin their child needs. The International Insulin Foundation, which he heads with the project coordinator David Beran, has carried out a detailed study of the treatment available to children with type-1 diabetes in Mozambique and Zambia and concluded that better distribution of insulin and education of healthworkers, especially in rural areas, could cut the death toll. They hope the focus on the health needs of people in the poorest countries which has come out of the global campaign for access to drugs for HIV/Aids may result in better care for those with diabetes and other diseases. Improving the drug supply will impact not only diabetes, but all diseases, said Mr Beran. The World Health Organisation this weekend warned that the number of people with diabetes in developing countries could more than double in 30 years, from 115 million to 284 million. About 90% of diabetes cases are type-2, but children die of type-1. In Mozambique, a child in a rural area will live for a year with diabetes, or four years if they live in a town with a hospital. In parts of Zambia where paediatric clinics are quite well developed, life expectancy is better, but still precarious because of problems over insulin access and the transport situation and the economic circumstances of the parents, said Mr Beran. Susan Zimba, a paediatrician at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, said access to insulin was a deep problem. There is usually not enough to go round. When the hospital runs out, those who can afford it will buy the insulin from a private chemist, but a month's supply of two types of insulin, at £24, will cost about two-thirds of an average salary. (Source: Sarah Boseley, The Guardian 17 November) Link \//\ http://www.access2insulin.org/our_project.html