title: Current attitudes on self-use and prescription of hormone therapy among New York City gynaecologists.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The results of the Women's Health Initiative studies dramatically altered hormone therapy use around the world. In countries outside the United States, self-use in physicians remained unaltered while prescription use declined, implying that physicians may not concur with the findings. We wished to explore prevailing attitudes among American physicians by examining New York City obstetrician-gynaecologists' self-use and prescription use of hormone therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  All board-certified obstetrician-gynaecologists in New York City were invited to complete and return a detailed, previously validated questionnaire concerning hormone therapy use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and nine questionnaires were returned, for a response rate of 12% (209/1797). Gynaecologists agreed with the findings from the Women's Health Initiative studies regarding indications and contraindications to hormone therapy use. Even so, three-quarters of female gynaecologists and female partners of male gynaecologists (74%; 67/91) use or have previously used hormone therapy. However, only 27.3% (21/77) of male gynaecologists and 12.3% (14/114) of female gynaecologists recommend hormone therapy to all menopausal women regardless of contraindications. Gynaecologists remain divided in their attitude toward hormone therapy; 30% of gynaecologists felt that hormone therapy use generally prolonged women's lives, 36% felt it was not useful in prolonging women's lives, and 33% were unsure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since the publication of the Women's Health Initiative findings, New York City gynaecologists prescribe hormone therapy to fewer patients. However, they continue to self-use hormone therapy at much higher rates, even as they seem to concur with Women's Health Initiative recommendations, contributing to the ongoing controversy surrounding the validity of the Women's Health Initiative findings.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Gayatri
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Devi
authors.forename: Fumitaka
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sugiguchi
authors.forename: Anette Tønnes
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Abrassart
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Glodowski
authors.forename: Lila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nachtigall
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000639:trends*; D012648:Self Care / Q000639:trends*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013038:Specialization; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health / Q000639:trends
keywords: Menopause; hormone therapy; prescribing practices