How this fits in

Little is known about the relationship between hormone replacement therapy (HRT) prescribing rates and socioeconomic deprivation. This analysis shows that there is an 18% lower HRT prescribing rate in primary care practices in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived after adjusting for all cardiovascular disease outcomes and risk factors. In addition, women in more deprived areas who are prescribed HRT are relatively more likely to receive oral rather than transdermal therapy compared with women in the least deprived areas. More research is needed to confirm these findings, to establish the reasons for this difference, and to identify how inequalities in menopause support associated with socioeconomic deprivation can be addressed.