WOMENS REASONS FOR USING POSTMENOPAUSAL HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY -PREVENTIVE MEDICINE OR THERAPEUTIC AID

The challenge to raise women's consciousness of the cardioprotective b enefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has received increasing a ttention, as heart disease is the primary cause of mortality of postme nopausal women in America. This study aimed (1) to ascertain whether, and to what extent, prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and ost eoporosis figures in women's reasons for taking postmenopausal HRT and (2) to assess relationships between women's reasons for taking HRT an d various demographic and CVD risk factors. A convenience sample of 91 women (73 White, 18 Black) completed a personal interview and a 24-pa ge survey. Eighty-two women (90%) were current or former users of HRT. Reasons were categorized as Preventive-to prevent heart disease and/o r osteoporosis (n = 45)-or as Therapeutic-to alleviate or control hot flashes or other symptoms (n = 50). Twenty-nine women gave both Preven tive and Therapeutic reasons. Women gave reasons relating to the preve ntion of osteoporosis (n = 40) more frequently than reasons relating t o the prevention of heart disease (n = 24) as being salient to their u tilization of HRT. Thus, the heart disease preventive value of HRT see ms to be underappreciated in this group. More striking, nearly 20% of this generally well-educated group (62% college graduates) reported no specific health reason for HRT but only that ''the doctor recommended that they took HRT solely on ''the doctor's advice'' (n = 16). Result s suggest that a more far-reaching educational message about CVD risk prevention might foster greater awareness among women of the cardiopro tective benefits of HRT.