General Practitioners' Attitudes to Oestrogen Prescription in the Menopause: A National Survey in Norway

Abstract

A questionnaire was mailed to a random sample of approximately 10% of Norwegian general practitioners (CPs) in order to investigate attitudes to the prescription of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in menopausal women. Nine short case histories were presented, and the GPs indicated their attitude to oestrogen prescription in each case on a five-step scale. Each case history contained four items that were systematically varied so that the effect of each could be investigated by comparing the answers from case to case. 251 GPs (74%) responded to the questionnaire. The answers indicated restrained attitudes towards prescription of HRT. Smoking and a family history of cardiovascular disease were regarded as contraindications. Angina pectoris was considered a contraindication for local oestrogen application in elderly women with urogenital complaints.

Key Words:

• oestrogens
• menopause
• prescriptions
• general practice