ESA Newsletter December 2000:

ESA Newsletter: December 2000

Long-term health and psychosocial effects of oestrogen treatment to reduce the adult height of tall girls

In September this year, a study commenced to examine the long-term health and psychosocial effects of oestrogen treatment to reduce the adult height of tall girls. NHMRC has funded the study for three years. The investigators include Dr Alison Venn, Prof Judith Lumley, Dr Priscilla Pyett and Prof George Werther whose expertise is in epidemiology, health sociology and paediatric endocrinology. The study is based at the Centre for the Study of Mothers' & Children's Health, La Trobe University.

The focus of the study will be a group of 371 women who were treated by Dr Norman Wettenhall in Melbourne from the late 1950s through to the mid 1980s, and a control group of 867 women who were assessed for tall stature but not treated. Dr Wettenhall supports the study and is assisting fully. Women who agree to participate in the study will be asked to complete a postal questionnaire and a telephone interview. Some women will be asked to participate in a focus group or face-to-face interview. Questionnaires and interviews will seek information on a range of health outcomes including reproductive and gynaecological health, mental health, general health status and quality of life.

The investigators are seeking to increase the size of their study sample and would like to hear from anyone who has treated tall girls in the past or who knows of the existence of medical records collected by physicians who are now retired or deceased. If you are able to help, please contact the study's research nurses, Penny Jones or Jo Rayner, on (03) 8341 8582. For more information about the study, please contact George Werther on (03) 9345 5952, werther@cryptic.rch.unimelb.edu.au or Alison Venn on (03) 6226 7706, Alison.Venn@utas.edu.au

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