General Q&A
Thank you: The staff at the Million Women Study co-ordinating centre would like to thank all of the women who have taken the time to fill in questionnaires. The response of women across the country has been fantastic, and thanks to these women we are beginning to help find answers to many of the most important and pressing questions about women’s health.
Here are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about the Million Women Study. The questionnaires page features some useful tips for filling in The Million Women Study questionnaires.
What is the Million Women Study investigating? The Million Women Study is investigating how various reproductive and lifestyle factors affect women’s health. In particular, the study is looking at how hormone replacement therapy affects a woman’s breasts and other aspects of her health. Other factors being investigated include diet, childbirth, breastfeeding, vitamin and mineral supplement use, oral contraceptive use and family history of illness.
Who is sent a questionnaire? Women were sent the initial Million Women Study questionnaire with their invitation to attending the National Health Service Breast Screening Programme at participating centres across the country. Approximately 3 years after completing the first questionnaire, participants were sent a second “update” questionnaire to keep track of their health and to ask new questions about factors such as diet, family history, vitamins and supplements and early life experiences. Some women have been sent extra “update” questionnaires for more detailed information, for example those who reported having breast cancer.
Why are MY answers important? The Million Women Study aims to provide information which is relevant to all women. To do this as many women as possible, from all walks of life and from all over the UK need to take part. You may think that because you are very healthy/not using hormone replacement therapy/a lifelong smoker etc., your answers are not important. In fact, the opposite is true; the only way the study can obtain reliable information about the factors affecting women’s health is to get information from a whole range of different types of women, with different experiences, lifestyles, diets and family histories.
Can I join the study even if I didn’t receive a questionnaire? Recruitment for the study is now finished so we are not taking on any new participants. If you are interested in the Million Women Study and would like to know about study results as they emerge, you can go to the study progress section of this web site, which includes up-to-date study findings and publications.
How can I find out what The Million Women Study has found out so far? The Million Women Study web site features the publications produced from The Million Women Study data, newsletters and findings so far. The web site also contains information for those who are taking part in the study, news and event updates and links to other cancer sites. The media and medical journals, some of which are available online, also feature some results and findings from the study.
I need some advice about hormone replacement therapy: The Million Women Study cannot advise individual women about hormone replacement therapy. Anyone with any questions or concerns about hormone replacement therapy should contact their general practitioner or other health professional.
I have asked to give a blood sample what happens next? Please visit our Disease Suspectibility Study section for further information on this part of the study.
