Motives for initiation,temporary discontinuation,and permanent discontinuation of hormone replacement therapy use among Norwegian women

Objective

The use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) declined strongly in many countries after publication of the WHI-study. The purpose of the present study was to investigate HRT usage patterns and motives for initiation, temporary discontinuation, and permanent discontinuation of HRT use among Norwegian women.

Methods

A questionnaire study about use and attitudes towards HRT was carried out in 2005. Women 45–64 years old were invited to the study (n = 2325, response rate 47%).

Results

Women initiated HRT use mainly due to climacteric complaints (74%), while prophylactic motives were less frequently reported (27%). The most often reported benefits of HRT use were reduced climacterical symptoms, especially hot flushes/sweating (83%), and improved quality of life (59%). The major proportion of ever-users (57%) had at some point temporarily discontinued HRT use. The motive for temporary discontinuation of HRT use most frequently reported was to see if climacterical symptoms had ceased (58%). Permanent discontinuation of HRT use was most often motivated by anxiety to side effects (55%). In multivariable analyses, women using HRT prophylactically were less likely to temporarily discontinue use. Women with a positive attitude towards HRT were the most unlikely ones to permanently discontinue HRT use.

Conclusions

Temporary discontinuation of HRT use was common among Norwegian women. The majority of HRT users reported a reduction in climacteric complaints after initiation of HRT use but many women were afraid of side effects.