[Hormone replacement therapy in Iceland.].

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in Iceland in 1979-1995.

Material And Methods: The data used were based on answers to a questionnaire for women who attended screening for cervical and breast cancer at the Cancer Detection Clinic of the Icelandic Cancer Society. More than 95% of all Icelandic women in the age groups investigated attended screening during the period and participated in the study.

Results: Use of HRT increased for each new and younger birth cohort and in the youngest cohort 52% had ever used HRT. The use was most common in the age group 50-55 and 50% of these women were using HRT at time of attendance in 1995 which is 5.7 fold increase from 1986 (p<0.001). Among users, 52% had used HRT for one year or less in 1979-1989 and 41% in 1990-1995 (p<0.001). In the latter period, 27% had used HRT for more than five years. Users of HRT were more likely to be smokers than non users (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Use of HRT is common in Iceland and has been increasing during the period 1979-1995.