Physical and psychosocial correlates of hormone replacement therapy with chronically stressed postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVES

This study investigated the relationship between hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use and physical and psychosocial functioning in a sample of chronically stressed older women.

METHODS

Participants (N = 94) were postmenopausal women caring for a parent or spouse with dementia. Caregivers were evaluated using both psychological and physical health indices.

RESULTS

Caregivers receiving HRT reported lower levels of hostility and were less likely to report unpleasant interactions with members of their support network; these findings were unrelated to demographic variables, caregiving-related indices, or health behaviors. HRT recipients had lower 10-year risk scores for cardiovascular disease, but there were no group differences in stroke risk. The largest effects on hostility, depression, heart and stroke risk were observed in caregivers receiving a combination of estradiol and progesterone.

DISCUSSION: HRT for postmenopausal women may promote positive outcomes for some, but not for all, affective states and cardiovascular variables vulnerable to chronic life stressors.