Socio-demographic characteristics of postmenopausal estrogen users.

The purpose of the paper was to describe general health, socio-economic and demographic characteristics of postmenopausal estrogen users in comparison to nonusers. During years 1994-2000, 717 postmenopausal estrogen users and 235 postmenopausal nonusers were gynecological examined, interweaved with a questionnaire including information on their health, socio-economic and demographic status and compared. Women who had prescription on a hormone replacement minimally 6 months before interview were deemed to be current users, but the controls had not use hormone replacement ever. Hormone replacement users were statistically significant more often smokers, they had better physical activity and better general health than nonusers. Women with surgical menopause were more often hormone replacement users than nonusers. Women with better socio-economic status, higher education and urban population were more likely to use hormone replacement. Single, divorced and widowed women were more likely, but married women were less likely to use hormone replacement. However, more healthy profiles among hormone replacement users may inflate the apparent benefit of treatment. The gynaecologists play a major role in hormone replacement therapy decision-making because of a substantial public health impact.