Perimenopausal women's views on hormone replacement therapy

Use of hormone replacement therapy by Melbourne women

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is used for relief of symptoms related to the menopause and for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. Patterns of use of HRT are thought to be changing rapidly, but little is known about who is using the therapy, for what purpose or for what period of time. Telephone interviews were conducted in May 1991 with a randomly selected sample of 2001 Australian-born women aged 45 to 55 years living in Melbourne, as part of the Melbourne Women's Midlife Health Project. Questions related to use of HRT, health status, use of health services, sexual functioning, attitudes to menopause and aging, and sociodemographic characteristics. Twenty-one per cent of the sample were using HRT. Use was more prevalent among women 50 years and over (28 per cent) than those under 50 (15 per cent). Seventeen per cent of nonhysterectomised women, 31 per cent of hysterectomised women and 49 per cent of women who had undergone hysterectomy and bilateral oophorectomy were current users. Almost 60 per cent had been using the therapy for two years or less, and 34 per cent for one year or less. Just over half reported control of hot flushes as a benefit, and 10 per cent mentioned prevention of bone loss as a benefit. Logistic regression analysis identified differences between users and nonusers in experience of hot flushes, health status, use of preventive and treatment services, sexual functioning, wellbeing, attitudes to menopause and aging, and sociodemographic characteristics. These differences may relate to risk of later cardiovascular disease.

Has the climacteric been medicalized? A study on the use of medication for climacteric complaints in four countries

In order to compare the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), non-hormonal treatment for the menopause, and tranquillizers, samples of about 300 women aged over 40 were interviewed in France, the United Kingdom, the former West Germany and Italy. The proportion of women in the samples using HRT varied from 3% in Italy to 25% in Germany. The figures for non-hormonal treatment ranged from 2-13%, and for tranquillizers from 5-28%. The use of both HRT and non-hormonal treatment was found to be related to the perimenopause and the corresponding age groups and that of HRT to higher educational level. Tranquillizer use was related to the postmenopause and lower educational level. After controlling for potential confounding effects of menopausal status, educational level, gainful employment and civil status, it emerged that HRT use rates varied significantly between the countries surveyed. It is concluded that cultural differences exist between these countries as to the prescription and acceptance of HRT.