Predictors of intentions to use hormone replacement therapy in clinical postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the contribution of components of the Health Beliefs Model (perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, health motivation, perceived risk and benefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use), sociodemographic variables (age, duration of postmenopause, hysterectomy and social class) and psychological stress to intentions to use HRT for the first time. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design was used to recruit a clinical sample of 180 postmenopausal women, attending a menopause clinic, with a mean age of 50.74 years (standard deviation 4.75 years). Data were collected using self-report questionnaires. A regression analysis was carried out to establish what predicts intentions to use HRT in this sample; sociodemographic variables were entered in the first step of the regression, followed by health motivation and perceived stress in step two, the third step involved the addition of perceived severity measures, and in the final step susceptibility and perceived risks and benefits were added. RESULTS: The main predictor of intentions to use HRT, after controlling for all other variables, was the belief that the benefits outweigh the risks associated with taking HRT. CONCLUSIONS: This information should be used to develop interventions and health awareness materials about HRT in clinical postmenopausal women.