[The influence of published studies and position papers on the prescription of peri- and post-menopausal hormone therapy].
Until the end of the 1990's it was thought that hormone therapy has a lot of positive health effects and should be prescribed for nearly all women. Recently conducted studies have shown that menopausal hormone therapy has a higher health risk especially for breast cancer and cardiovascular disease. In this study we investigated to what extent hormone therapy changes could be identified during the past years. We therefore analysed data of a German health insurance (Gmünder ErsatzKasse=GEK) from 2001-2005. It was shown, that studies and recommendations, as well as statements of different German institutions, which were published during this period lead to an important decrease in respect of hormone therapy prevalence. It seems that the most important impact of this topic came from the results of the Women's Health Initiative study (WHI) and the followed controversial discussion in Germany. In respect of the individual five years age groups the changes were very different and for the older women especially there were no decreases detectable. It must be expected that frequently the diagnoses of Osteoporosis results in a treatment of hormone therapy over a long period and that the recommendations and statements (as mentioned above) are not implemented sufficiently. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct an evidence based hormone therapy treatment in the practitioners daily work, to keep health risks low. Furthermore, physicians should be more engaged to show their patients alternatives instead of hormone therapy. They should also advise and support their treated patients how to quit hormone therapy.
Heitmann
C
C
Zentrum für Sozialpolitik (ZeS) der Universität Bremen. heitmann@ZES.Uni-Bremen.de
Janhsen
K
K
Glaeske
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013223:Statistics as Topic