COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS WITH HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine women's own reas ons for postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) utilization a nd discontinuation in a Turkish population and to investigate the vari ables that have influenced the compliance to treatment. Design: The st udy was comprised of 613 postmenopausal women who presented to the Men opause Unit in the Marmara University Hospital. Results: A total of 43 7 women (71.2%) reported that they continued using postmenopausal HRT and 176 women (28.7%) discontinued treatment with an average 4.5 month s duration of use (range 1-60 months). Hot flashes was the most common reason for initiating therapy (258 women, 42.0%). Prevention of osteo porosis was mentioned by 149 (24.3%) women as a reason to begin HRT. B leeding episodes (44.8%) was the most common factor in the patient's d ecision to discontinue HRT. Continuation of HRT was significantly more common among women who started HRT either because of physician recomm endation or osteoporosis concern (p < 0.05). Additionally, a greater p ercentage of surgically menopausal women began and continued HRT(p < 0 .0001) than naturally menopausal women. The educational status of the patients was directly related to incidence of beginning HRT but was no t related to the discontinuation of HRT. Conclusions: Education of men opausal women about the long-term benefits of HRT is critical in impro ving compliance. (C) 1998, The North American Menopause Society.