Differences in Menopausal Hormone Therapy Use among Women in Germany between 1998 and 2003

BMC Women's Health

Table 1 Descriptive characteristics of women populations surveyed in German national health surveys before (1997–1999) and after (2003–2004) the publication of the EPT-WHI trial results

	1997–1999 survey	2003–2004 survey	p-value
Sample size (unweighted total n)	2284 (2248)	2362 (2215)
*Continuous variables, mean ± SD*
Age, years	59.8 ± 12.0	60.0 ± 12.5	0.437
BMI, kg/m ²	27.8 ± 5.1	27.6 ± 5.2	0.566
*Nominal and ordinal variables, n (%)*
Residence in former West Germany	1762(77.1)	1841(77.9)	0.515
Social status
Lower	691(31.8)	848(36.9)	< 0.001
Intermediate	1115(51.4)	1003(43.7)
Upper	364(16.8)	446(19.4)
Smoking status
Smoker	405(18.4)	485(20.5)	< 0.001
Ex-smoker	349(15.9)	538(22.8)
Non-smoker	1447(65.7)	1339(56.7)
Physical activity
0 hrs/wk	1277(58.4)	1135(48.6)	< 0.001
< 1 hrs/wk	268(12.2)	232(9.9)
1–2 hrs/wk	377(17.2)	503(21.5)
> 2 hrs/wk	266(12.2)	466(19.9)
Pre-existing medical conditions (yes vs. no)
Diabetes	217(9.6)	228(9.7)	0.891
Hypertension	868(38.2)	950(40.4)	0.128
Hyperlipidemia	751(33.0)	881(37.5)	0.001
CVD	385(16.9)	355(15.3)	0.124
Current MHT use ^# , n (%)	386(16.9)	238(10.1)	< 0.001
≤ 1 year (new starters)	71(3.1)	16(0.7)	< 0.001
1–3 years	81(3.5)	31(1.3)	< 0.001
> 3 years (long-term users)	230(10.1)	189(8.0)	0.014

All results are weighted to the distribution of main demographic characteristics (age, sex, residence in West or East Germany and level of urbanity) in the German population according to official population statistics at the time of the survey as well as in 2003.
p-values are based on t-tests for continuous variables or χ²-tests for dichotomous variables.
EPT-WHI = combined estrogen plus progestin therapy arm of the Women's Health Initiative randomized controlled trial; BMI = Body mass index; CVD = cardiovascular disease; hr(s)/wk = hour(s)/week; MHT = menopausal hormone therapy.
^# Information for duration of MHT use was missing in 4 users in the 1997–1999 survey and 2 users in the 2003–2004 survey.

ISSN: 1472-6874