Postmenopausal hormone therapy: who now takes it and do they differ from non-users?
BACKGROUND
Considerable changes in hormone therapy use have taken place in the last few years.


OBJECTIVE
To determine current usage of postmenopausal hormone therapy and assess the trend and rate of change in hormone therapy usage over the last 13 years. Additionally, to assess differences between current users and non-users for health-related and risk factor variables.


METHODS
Questions regarding hormone therapy use have been included in an annual face to face population health survey of South Australians eight times since 1991. In 2004, additional questions on health status and quality of life were included.


RESULTS
In 2004, current use of hormone therapy was 15.4, 19.8 and 31.2% in all women over 40, 50 and 50-59 years, respectively. Ever use of hormone therapy among all women over 50 years was 46.5% with a mean duration of use of 7.46 years. Hormone therapy users did not differ from non-users in chronic disease indicators, body mass index, complementary medicine or therapist use, other health service use, socioeconomic status or quality of life. Increased hormone therapy use was associated with higher income, better educated, employed and married women in their sixth decade. Current use has varied over the years, with an increase to 2000, but a drop in 2003 and 2004.


CONCLUSIONS
Apart from menopausal symptoms, there is no evidence to support differences between users and non-users in terms of quality of life or health characteristics, requiring more appropriate selection of women for hormone therapy.
Taylor
Anne W
AW
Population Research and Outcome Studies, South Australian Department of Health, Adelaide, South Australia. anne.taylor@health.sa.gov.au
MacLennan
Alastair H
AH
Avery
Jodie C
JC
D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D015995:Prevalence; D011336:Probability; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013021:South Australia