Factors affecting a woman's intent to adopt hormone replacement therapy for menopause.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship of attitude toward menopause, knowledge of menopause, social support for hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and self-efficacy for HRT with intention to adopt HRT for menopause. DESIGN: A prospective design, to explore the relationship between predictors and the criterion, intent to adopt HRT. SETTING: The participants were recruited from clinic sites in rural Nebraska and Wyoming. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 167 perimenopausal/menopausal women ages 39 to 58. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Multiple regression was used to examine the relationships between predictors and the criterion, intent to adopt HRT. RESULTS: Self-efficacy was found to predict intent to adopt HRT to a higher degree than the other predictors of support and knowledge. The combined influence of all three predictors affected intent to adopt HRT to a greater degree than any of the variables independently, R2 = .45. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that self-efficacy, support, and knowledge may affect a woman's intent to adopt HRT. A higher priority needs to be placed on enhancing a menopausal woman's self-efficacy, support, and knowledge to facilitate adoption of HRT.