title: Lifestyle factors and choice of hormone replacement therapy among Danish nurses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies have found that women who use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are healthier or report better health than non-users. This study examines the association between lifestyle factors, self-reported health and the use of HRT in Danish female nurses above the age of 50 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Postal questionnaires were used for data collection. Two cohorts were examined, a younger including women between 50 and 59 years and an older including women of 60 years and above.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 14,071 nurses included, 5,528 (39%) reported ever using HRT. In both cohorts, ever using HRT was positively associated (odds ratio > 1) with intake of vitamin supplements, alcohol consumption at weekends, consulting a physician, use of medicine, and previous use of oral contraceptives. Only a few differences were found between former and current users of HRT. A highly significant association was found between ever using HRT and self-reported poor health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study use of HRT was not found to be associated with a particularly healthy lifestyle or better health. Therefore, these factors should be specifically considered in studies evaluating the effect of HRT.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health, Copenhagen, Denmark. yah@niph.dk
authors.forename: Yrsa A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Hundrup
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Thoning
authors.forename: Erik B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Obel
authors.forename: Niels K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Philip
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D002118:Calcium / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003718:Denmark; D004032:Diet; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D014815:Vitamins; D002118:Calcium