ADMINISTRATION OF ESTROGENS TO OLDER WOMEN A PSYCHOMETRIC EVALUATION - PRELIMINARY REPORT

The administration of estrogens to women during the menopause and beyond may stimulate lively debates. This double blind study is being carried out to determine if the psychological deterioration in older women can be altered by estrogens. Can the rate be slowed? Can improvement be achieved? To find answers, a standard Hospital Adjustment Scale was used to measure behavior patterns of women residing in a home for senior citizens. Results after the first year of a planned 3 year investigation show a gradual downhill trend in the placebo group, while the women taking estrogens show improvement. While these results are encouraging, they must be appreciated as a preliminary report of an investigation still in progress. © 1968.