Hormone therapy: the European women's perspective.
OBJECTIVE
To identify and describe the knowledge and attitudes of European women towards hormone therapy (HT) and to determine the key data of HT use in Europe.


METHODS
A total of 8012 women aged 45-75 years were interviewed via standardized computer-aided telephone interviewing. The main outcome measures were history of HT use, opinions and knowledge of HT, reasons for HT use or for the rejection of it.


RESULTS
A total of 73% of all interviewed women were aware of HT as a treatment option for menopausal symptoms; 16% were currently using HT, 16% were former users and 68% of respondents had never used an HT product. The most frequently mentioned benefit of HT was relief of hot flushes (22%), followed by improvement of general well-being and quality of life (17%) and prevention of osteoporosis (16%). Cancer, and particularly breast cancer, was considered as a major risk of HT by 35% of the women. Ranking second in risks was weight gain (10%), followed by thrombosis or blood clots (7%).


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this survey demonstrate the preponderant differences in awareness of benefits and risks in HT users. To a large extent, users are satisfied with their HT and willing to pursue its use for longer periods of time.
Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Charite, Humboldt-University of Berlin, Germany.
A
A
Strothmann
H P G
HP
Schneider
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D012494:Sampling Studies; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*