Hormone replacement therapy, when taken after menopause, may reduce
risks associated with coronary heart disease, osteoporosis, colorectal
cancer and Alzheimers disease. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
recommends that all women should receive information and counseling about
the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy.
The University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing and will
be conducting a research study in rural Nebraska communities to evaluate
the effectiveness of educational materials used to promote hormone replacement
therapy.
Participants will receive newsletters that provide information on health
benefits and disadvantages of hormone replacement therapy. The goal of
the newsletters is to encourage women to participate in informed discussions
on hormone replacement therapy with their primary health care providers.
Research shows that rural women have limited access to health care and
are less likely to use preventative services.
The Department of Health and Human Services reports that only about
15 percent of women who are eligible for hormone replacement therapy use
it, leaving 85 percent who either choose not to use the therapy or who
do not know about it. This study will evaluate whether the likelihood of
a woman choosing to use hormone replacement therapy will increase after
receiving the educational materials.
During November and December, the Bureau of Sociological Research at
the University of Nebraska at Lincoln will randomly telephone women aged
50 to 74 and ask them to participate in the study. Communities targeted
include: Arapahoe, Beaver City, Cambridge, Curtis, Eustis, Indianola, McCook,
Oxford and Trenton. The study will begin in January, and participants will
receive a small stipend.
UNMC is the only public academic health science center in the state.
Through its commitment to research, education and patient care, UNMC has
established itself as one of the country’s leading centers for cancer research
and treatment and solid organ transplantation. More than $34 million in
research grants and contracts are awarded to UNMC scientists annually.
In addition, UNMC’s educational programs are responsible for training more
health professionals practicing in Nebraska than any other institution.