Prescribing Hormone Replacement Therapy: The Role of Occupational Stress

This study investigates whether physicians' levels of occupational stress may influence the likelihood of their prescribing hormone replacement therapy (HRT). One hundred and one physicians answered a cross-sectional, mailed, self-administered survey that measured occupational stress using Occupational Stress Indicator 2. Questions concerning HRT-including the possibility of recommending HRT to treat menopausal syndrome-were also asked. We found the likelihood of prescribing HRT for menopausal syndrome positively correlates with 'coping' (p < 0.01) and 'other indications' (p < 0.001). The likelihood of prescribing is also greater when the patient is a younger menopausal woman (p < 0.0001) and if the physician is more experienced (p < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis reveals that the 'coping' scale (p < 0.05) is the most significant factor, whereas 'seeking support' is the significant subscale(p < 0.0001). Our results indicate that 'seeking support' from the 'coping' scale is the most important factor that influences the prescribing of HRT. Copyright (C) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.