Physicians and the prescription of hormone replacement therapy in Spain

The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) prescription and identify women's sociodemographic and climacteric factors, as well as variables related to healthcare, associated with the treatment's prescription in women aged 45-65 years in the reference population of a primary healthcare centre in the city of Granada (Spain).

A descriptive cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted in July 2002 with women aged 45-65 years from the reference population of a primary healthcare centre. The information was gathered using a semi-structured questionnaire specifically developed to gather information on the prescription of HRT.

22.3% of the sample had ever been prescribed with HRT. Regarding compliance with the treatment, 44.2% of the women prescribed with this therapy took it partially, and 8.1% did not begin with the treatment. The variables independently associated with HRT prescription were having the menopause (OR=2.81; IC 95%: 1.08-7.28), having psychological symptoms (OR=2.77; IC 95%: 1.19-6.46), going to see the gynaecologist (OR=4.41; IC 95%: 1.87-10.36), and the fact that the doctor worked in the private healthcare sector (OR=3.55; IC 95%: 0.92-13.65).

The frequency of HRT prescription in Spain is high, as well as the non-compliance rate. Reaching the menopause and going to the gynaecologist are determinant in HRT prescription. It would be desirable to use similar methodological approaches in studies of this controversial therapy, in order to obtain consensus on the real impact on the female population, particularly in view of the results of the latest clinical trials.