HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY USAGE - A 10-YEAR EXPERIENCE OF A SOLO PRACTITIONER

The objective of this study was to identify factors affecting hormone replacement therapy (HRT) usage among patients of a single physician. All active patients (n = 330) given a HRT prescription over the past 1 0 years (1985-1995) by the physician were sent a questionnaire on heal th knowledge, lifestyle patterns, general medical and reproductive his tories, responses to HRT usage and decision-making about HRT use. A to tal of 214 useful questionnaires were returned giving a response rate of 65%. For this cohort, the length of HRT use for those still taking HRT was 60 months; and for those no longer taking HRT, it was 32 month s; and 85% of those ever given an HRT prescription were still using HR T at the time of survey. The educational backgrounds, exercise pattern s, health knowledge, medical and reproductive histories of this group were representative of those found among suburban postmenopausal women in central Pennsylvania. Among this cohort, the most important reason for them taking HRT was the physicians' recommendation. (C) 1997 Else vier Science Ireland Ltd.