Frail older women's participation in a trial of hormone replacement therapy: perceived benefits and concerns.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to identify the reasons that were important to frail older women's decisions to participate or not participate in a clinical trial of hormone replacement therapy (HRT).


METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional study of a community-based sample of physically frail women > or = 75 years old, who were recruited to participate in an intervention trial of HRT. Participants were randomized 2:1 to either HRT or placebo, respectively. Questionnaires measured participants' reasons for participation and nonparticipants' reasons for declining. Five-point scaled responses to questionnaire items ranged from least to most important or least to most concerned.


RESULTS
Sixty-nine women participated (84% white, 16% African American) in the trial. Nonparticipants (n = 41) were older, on average, than participants (83.8+/-4.2 vs. 82.2+/-3.6 years; p = 0.04). Important reasons for participation were reducing risk for Alzheimer's disease and osteoporosis, having more energy, improving self-care ability, and benefiting other women. Fear of cancer from postmenopausal estrogen was the predominant concern of 46% of nonparticipants and 78% of participants (p = 0.08). Recommendation against participation or use of estrogen by a woman's personal physician was the most prevalent additional reason given for nonparticipation.


CONCLUSIONS
Disease prevention and improving self-care abilities were most important to participants. Fear of cancer was not a greater concern for nonparticipants than for participants. The role of the physician in older women's decision-making about use of postmenopausal estrogen seems to be important.
Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63108, USA.
D B
DB
Jeffe
E F
EF
Binder
D B
DB
Williams
W M
WM
Kohrt
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D001290:Attitude; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000517:prevention & control; D010819:Physician's Role; D010919:Placebos; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015430:Weight Gain
D010919:Placebos