Table 1. Study characteristics of qualitative study.

reference	country	population	Main focus of Paper	Setting	Main findings	Design
Walter200254	UK	n = 40, (50–55 ys,)75% well- educated100% peri-menopause,32.5% never used HT.	Explore women's understanding of the risks associated with the menopause and HT.	general practices	Patients used their knowledge, risk perception and their individual belief system, experience, age and emotions to modify the salience of HT risk. Most of them favored communication with health providers. Sharing experience with the others would be important to facilitate in decision making	Focus group/semi-structured interviews
French200648	USA	n = 127,(50–70 ys)100% well-educated,100% peri-menopause,14.2% never used HT	explore the impact of hormone therapy recommendations on patients' attitude and decision making	general practice office	HT should take into account women's preferences about symptom relief and the trade-offs among relevant risks. Emotional support during transitions in HT is encouraged	open ended
Ballard200246	UK	n = 32, (51–57 ys)34.4% well-educated,100% peri-menopause,37.5% never used HT	explore women's perceived risk of menopause-related disease and the decision making of HT for disease prevention	community setting	Osteoporosis and heart disease are associated with decision to take HT, which are largely based on individual assessment of risk, but the value of HT is limited.	semi-structured interviews
Cifcili200947	Turkey	n = 16, (42–53 ys)63% well-educated,100% peri-menopause,no data for HT use	explore women's knowledge of menopause and HT	gynecological clinic	Menopause is a natural transition process; seeking medical help is a way to cope with it. non-pharmacological options were favored because of HT side effects.	semi-structured interviews
Shelton200253	USA	n = 75, (30–71 ys)100% well-educated,25.6% peri-menopause,37% never used HT	explore the attitude and belief about and pattern of HT use	community and clinic	Use of HT as either therapeutic or prevention is controversial. The target-oriented counseling, taking into account the individual attitudes toward HT, is expected	focus group
Loutfy 200633	Egypt	n = 70, (50–59 ys)21.1% well-educated,100% peri-menopause,no one used HT	determine symptoms, perceptions and practices after natural menopause	community	Most participants had never heard about HT. Its cost and side-effects were a concern. Main information sources included the media.	focus group
Hepworth 200249	Australia Adelaide	n = 21,(50–69 ys)(no data on education and HT use)100% peri-menopause,	explore the knowledge/attitude of HT and patients' willingness to participate in a long-term HT randomized control trial	general practices	HT was beneficial for symptom relief, “natural approach to health and anti-medication were expected, and more information about HT was expected.	focus group
Hyde 201050	Ireland	n = 23, (42–63 ys)no data on education,100% peri-menopause,64.1% never used HT	explore women's experience of menopause and HT	Thematic Networks	HT effectiveness was in moderating bodily distresses.	semi-structured interviews
Kolip 200951	Germany	n = 35, (46–75 ys)no data on education,100% peri-menopause,no one used HT	explore the reason why postmenopausal women undergo long-term hormone therapy	na	Target-oriented counseling is needed; the health providers should consider patients' individual attitudes toward menopause and HT.	semi-structured interviews
Weltom 200455	England Scotland	n = 82, (50–69 ys)no data on education,100% peri-menopause,30% never used HT	explore the factors affecting HT decision making and the view about risk and benefits, attitude towards HT studyresults	general practice	Women regarded taking HT as highly personal; the reason for continuation was to improve quality of life regardless of the risks in the longer term.	focus group
Nekhlyudov 200952	USA	n = 45, (45–60 ys)no data on education,100% peri-menopause,no one used HT	explore women's beliefs about hormone therapy and breast cancer risk	phone interview	To control menopausal symptoms was important and possibly outweighed the concerns about the potential risks of breast cancer.	structured interviews