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Hormone therapy use in Australian‐born women: a longitudinal study
Author(s) -
Guthrie Janet R,
Garamszegi Corrine V,
Dudley Emma C,
Dennerstein Lorraine,
Green Adele,
MacLennan Alastair H,
Burger Henry G
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1999.tb123692.x
Subject(s) - medicine , longitudinal study , medical prescription , hormone therapy , odds ratio , demography , gynecology , gerontology , breast cancer , cancer , pathology , sociology , pharmacology
Objectives To describe the pattern of use of hormone therapy (HT) among Australian women, and its side‐effects and benefits, and to compare baseline characteristics of HT users with never users. Design Longitudinal community‐based study with annual interviews. Setting Melbourne, May 1991–October 1997. Participants 357 Australian‐born women aged 45–55 years who were pre‐ or perimenopausal and not using HT at baseline. Main outcome measures Rates of HT use; baseline characteristics of users and non‐users; side effects and benefits of HT use. Results 151 women (42%) used HT over the six years and 93 (26%) were current users at six‐year follow‐up. HT users did not differ significantly from non‐users in lifestyle, sociodemographic and cardiovascular risk factors or in most health status factors at baseline. However, HT users were significantly more likely to have had a breast examination by a health professional (odds ratio [OR], 2.60; 95% CI, 1.62–4.17), to have had a tubal ligation (OR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.09–2.74), to report a history of premenstrual complaints (OR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.08–2.74), to agree that women “regret when their period stops for the last time” (OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.04–2.74), and to report that they took non‐prescription medications (OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.02–2.59). Most (84%) HT users described benefits (most commonly relief of hot flushes and improved wellbeing), while 53% complained of side effects (most commonly weight gain and breast tenderness). Conclusions HT users did not differ significantly from non‐users at baseline in most characteristics. Long‐term follow‐up of this cohort is now required to assess any difference in cardiovascular events or other health outcomes between HT users and non‐users.