[General practitioners' advice on hormone replacement therapy in menopause].
BACKGROUND
Since 2002, new knowledge has emerged and changed the usage of hormone replacement treatment (HRT); in Norway it has been used significantly less since then. The aim of the study was to investigate Norwegian GPs' assessment of their role in advising women regarding HRT (during and after the menopause), and to identify important factors in the doctor's decision process.


METHODS
A questionnaire was sent to 400 Norwegian GPs, randomly drawn from the membership list of GPs in the Norwegian Medical Association in May 2004.


RESULTS
We received answers from 289 (72 %) of the doctors. 13 % of them answered that the doctor is the one who most frequently takes the initiative to start treatment, 29 % meant that the doctor most often took the initiative to STOP: treatment. The doctors disagreed notably when they were asked to give advice in relation to clinical examples. The most important predictor for the advice given was whether they agreed or disagreed with the question "Does the treatment imply medicalization of a natural ageing process?"


CONCLUSIONS
Many doctors seem to actively advise women on issues regarding HRT and they more often stop than start treatment. The GPs doctor's attitude to whether the treatment implied increased medicalization was more decisive for their advice than indications, contraindications and effect of treatment. Consideration of such factors are important when guidelines to change clinical practice are implemented.
Gjelsvik
Bjørn
B
Tanum Legekontor Slependen og Institutt for allmenn- og samfunnsmedisin Universitetet i Oslo Postboks 1130 Blindern 0317 Oslo. bjorn.gjelsvik@medisin.uio.no
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003657:Decision Making; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires