title: Postmenopausal users of long-term hormonal replacement therapy: social-cultural features.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study of influence of social-cultural factors on the effects of long-term hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) in preventing cardiovascular disease and menopausal osteoporosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined, perspectively the social-cultural features of 394 postmenopausal women who attended the menopausal out-patient department and were eligible for long term HRT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The HRT users were thinner and younger, with earlier menopause, physically more active, healthier, with more oophorectomies and with more professional work. Data shows that, as a whole, a greater number of healthy women are selected or self-selected for HRT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Evaluating the results of long-term HRT in preventing cardiovascular disease and menopausal osteoporosis, the social-cultural features of HRT users must be carefully considered before any mass preventive interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Chiechi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berardesca
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lobascio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carrieri
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loizzi
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors