Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on June 24, 2005
Human Reproduction 2005 20(10):2916-2922; doi:10.1093/humrep/dei161
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Reproductive Epidemiology |
Gynaecological health care utilization and use of sex hormones–the study of Health in Pomerania
1 Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Clinical Research Center of Women’s Health, Hindenburgdamm 30, D-12200 Berlin, 2 Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University of Greifswald, Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Walther-Rathenau-Str. 48, D-17487 Greifswald and 3 Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University of Greifswald, Institute of Community Medicine, Section Epidemiology of Health Care and Community Health, Ellerholzstr. 1–2, D-17487 Greifswald, Germany
4 To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: martina.doeren{at}charite.de
BACKGROUND: In Germany, there is a lack of population-based data related to the use of gynaecological health care services. The objectives of our analyses utilizing a population-based cross-sectional survey conducted in one geographically defined area [Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP)] are to assess the prevalences of: (i) attendance of gynaecological outpatient facilities and of (cervical) cancer screening; (ii) gynaecological and breast surgery; (iii) use of oral contraceptives (OC) and menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). METHODS: We analysed socio-demographic factors, reproductive history, gynaecological service utilization, and use of sex hormones in 2186 women aged 20–79 years. We used standard statistics and sex- and age group-specific weighting factors to reflect characteristics of the population of Western Pomerania. RESULTS: Approximately 43% of women reported surgical procedures. Participation in cancer screening at least once was reported by 78% of women (lifetime prevalence). Two-thirds of women stated ever use of OC, 28% (aged >40 years) ever use of MHT. CONCLUSIONS: Women in Western Pomerania reported a high life-time use of both OC and MHT. The use of cervical cancer screening exceeded the national average. Women had an almost 50% risk of undergoing gynaecological, breast or obstetric surgery. The high use of MHT and surgical procedures calls for efforts regarding continuing medical education and health care policy actions.
Key words: cervical cancer screening/gynaecological surgery/HRT/menopausal hormone therapy/oral contraception