Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE--The aim was to describe changes in the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in Finland during the period 1976-1989. DESIGN--The study involved four separate cross sectional population surveys in the years 1976, 1978-1980, 1987, and 1989. Three of them involved interviews and one a questionnaire. Sales figures of hormones in 1981-1989 were used. PARTICIPANTS--Participants were national samples of non-institutionalized Finnish women 45-64 years of age. Participation rates ranged from 85% to 96%. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS--Current reported hormone use in the surveys of 1976, 1978-1980, and 1987 was assessed, together with reported hormone use in the last month in the 1989 survey. During the study period the proportion of HRT users increased fivefold. In 1989, 20% of women reported current use of HRT, and the highest rate of use was found among 50-54 year old women in the Helsinki area. In 1976, users were mainly women around the age of menopause, those living in the capital area, and those having a rather high level of education. By 1989 use had spread to postmenopausal women, those in rural areas, and those with less education. CONCLUSIONS--Use of HRT has increased in Finland. It is difficult to evaluate whether the level of current use is too high, optimal, or too low, because recommendations are contradictory and the long term effects of HRT are unkown.
Full text
PDF



Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Armstrong B. K. Oestrogen therapy after the menopause--boon or bane? Med J Aust. 1988 Mar 7;148(5):213–214. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1988.tb99424.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Barrett-Connor E., Brown W. V., Turner J., Austin M., Criqui M. H. Heart disease risk factors and hormone use in postmenopausal women. JAMA. 1979 May 18;241(20):2167–2169. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Barrett-Connor E. Postmenopausal estrogens--current prescribing patterns of San Diego gynecologists. West J Med. 1986 May;144(5):620–621. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Berg G., Hammar M., Fåhraeus L., Larsson-Cohn U. Klimakteriella besvär hos 52- och 54-åriga kvinnor i Linköpings kommun. Lakartidningen. 1985 Jun 12;82(24):2244–2247. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Bush T. L., Barrett-Connor E. Noncontraceptive estrogen use and cardiovascular disease. Epidemiol Rev. 1985;7:89–104. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Egeland G. M., Matthews K. A., Kuller L. H., Kelsey S. F. Characteristics of noncontraceptive hormone users. Prev Med. 1988 Jul;17(4):403–411. doi: 10.1016/0091-7435(88)90039-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Furuhjelm M. Estrogen treatment in the past and the future in cases of estrogen deficiency. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand Suppl. 1977;65:5–10. doi: 10.3109/00016347709156334. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hemminki E., Kennedy D. L., Baum C., McKinlay S. M. Prescribing of noncontraceptive estrogens and progestins in the United States, 1974-86. Am J Public Health. 1988 Nov;78(11):1479–1481. doi: 10.2105/ajph.78.11.1479. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hemminki E. The use of combined estrogen-progestin replacement therapy. Int J Technol Assess Health Care. 1988;4(4):511–519. doi: 10.1017/s0266462300007595. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Kaufert P. L. The menopausal transition; the use of estrogen. Can J Public Health. 1986 May-Jun;77 (Suppl 1):86–91. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Kennedy D. L., Baum C., Forbes M. B. Noncontraceptive estrogens and progestins: use patterns over time. Obstet Gynecol. 1985 Mar;65(3):441–446. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Klaukka T., Riska E., Kimmel U. M. Use of vitamin supplements in Finland. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1985;29(3):355–361. doi: 10.1007/BF00544094. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Rosenberg L., Shapiro S., Kaufman D. W., Slone D., Miettinen O. S., Stolley P. D. Patterns and determinants of conjugated estrogen use. Am J Epidemiol. 1979 Jun;109(6):676–686. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112731. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Stampfer M. J., Willett W. C., Colditz G. A., Rosner B., Speizer F. E., Hennekens C. H. A prospective study of postmenopausal estrogen therapy and coronary heart disease. N Engl J Med. 1985 Oct 24;313(17):1044–1049. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198510243131703. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Standeven M., Criqui M. H., Klauber M. R., Gabriel S., Barrett-Connor E. Correlates of change in postmenopausal estrogen use in a population-based study. Am J Epidemiol. 1986 Aug;124(2):268–274. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a114385. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wilson P. W., Garrison R. J., Castelli W. P. Postmenopausal estrogen use, cigarette smoking, and cardiovascular morbidity in women over 50. The Framingham Study. N Engl J Med. 1985 Oct 24;313(17):1038–1043. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198510243131702. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wingo P. A., Layde P. M., Lee N. C., Rubin G., Ory H. W. The risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women who have used estrogen replacement therapy. JAMA. 1987 Jan 9;257(2):209–215. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]