Prevalence and correlates of hormonal therapy among Israeli women in the post-WHI era.
OBJECTIVE
Following the results of recent randomized controlled trials on the risks and benefits of the long-term use of hormonal therapy (HT), practice guidelines regarding HT use have been revised. The aim of the study is to assess the prevalence and the correlates of HT use in Israel in 2003.


METHODS
This is a cross-sectional study, conducted on a representative sample of the general population in Israel aged 21 years and over. The study questionnaire is based on the European Health Interview Survey (EUROHIS) project, aimed to develop uniform study tools, to enable international comparisons. The current module of the survey focused on women's health, and telephone interviews were conducted with 1396 women by trained interviewers in the year 2003.


RESULTS
Out of a total of 1396 participants, 535 were defined as peri- or postmenopausal (38%). Of them, 9.9% were currently using HT (11.7% and 2.9% among the Jewish and Arab participants, respectively), and their mean age (S.D.) was 57.7 (6.5) years. Mean duration of HT use was 8.0 (5.5) years. Treatment of menopausal symptoms was the most common reason for HT use (69.2%). Significant correlates of HT use were age, being secular and having seen a gynecologist in the previous 12 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Current HT use rates reported are lower than those reported 3 years ago for Israeli women. Awareness of both physicians and patients to the WHI results (2002), may have accounted for this trend, at least partially.
Keinan-Boker
Lital
L
Israel Center for Disease Control, Ministry of Health, Gertner Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Ramat Gan 52621, Israel. lital.k@icdc.health.gov.il
Dictiar
Rita
R
Garty
Noga
N
Green
Manfred S
MS
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000592:standards; D012907:Smoking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016387:Women's Health