Healthy Skepticism Library item: 7717

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Publication type: Journal Article

Kang BM, Kim MR, Park HM, Yoon BK, Lee BS, Chung HW, Cho SH, Choi H, Kim JG.
Attitudes of Korean clinicians to postmenopausal hormone therapy after the Women's Health Initiative study.
Menopause 2006 Jan-Feb; 13:(1):125-9
http://meta.wkhealth.com/pt/pt-core/template-journal/lwwgateway/media/landingpage.htm?doi=10.1097/01.gme.0000191211.51232.9d

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To assess the attitudes of Korean physicians toward hormone therapy (HT) after publication of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study.

DESIGN: Self-administered questionnaires, consisting of 22 items, were sent by mail to the members of the Korean Society of Menopause.

RESULTS: More than 95% of Korean physicians were aware of the WHI study. The HT prescription rate decreased by 16% after publication of the WHI report; approximately half of the physicians who continued prescribing HT changed their prescriptions. The largest decreases occurred in regimens using conjugated equine estrogens and medroxyprogesterone acetate, for which prescriptions of sequential and continuous-combined regimens decreased by 20.7% and 22.7%, respectively. In contrast, the prescription rate for tibolone increased by 3.6%. Approximately 30% of physicians changed from standard to low doses, and 67.8% shortened the duration of HT. After publication of the WHI report, the main reasons for not prescribing or discontinuing HT were patient refusal and increased risk of cardiovascular disease, rather than breast cancer risk. After publication of the WHI report, the number of physicians who prescribed alternative or complementary medicines increased, the rate of HT prescription for the prevention of osteoporosis decreased, and the number of postmenopausal outpatients decreased.

CONCLUSIONS: Despite the results of the WHI report, most Korean physicians who participated in this study continued prescribing HT; however, approximately half of those who continued prescribing HT changed their prescriptions. The greatest change occurred in regimens using conjugated equine estrogens and medroxyprogesterone acetate.

Keywords:
Publication Types: Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH Terms: Adult Attitude of Health Personnel* Estrogen Replacement Therapy*/methods Estrogen Replacement Therapy*/trends Estrogens, Conjugated (USP)/administration & dosage Female Humans Korea Male Medroxyprogesterone 17-Acetate/administration & dosage Middle Aged Norpregnenes/administration & dosage Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal/prevention & control Physician's Practice Patterns/trends* Postmenopause* Prescriptions, Drug/statistics & numerical data Questionnaires Randomized Controlled Trials* Women's Health* Substances: Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) Norpregnenes tibolone Medroxyprogesterone 17-Acetate