WESTPORT, Sep 03 (Reuters Health) - Women of African or south Asian descent are less likely than white women to be prescribed hormone replacement therapy (HRT), according to the results of a population-based survey performed in Wandsworth, south London, UK.

Dr. Tess J. Harris and colleagues, of St. George's Hospital Medical School in London, interviewed 865 women, 40 to 59 years of age, about their history of hysterectomy, smoking and various cardiovascular risk factors. In this cohort 333 women were of Caribbean or west African descent, 282 were white, and 250 were of Indian, Pakistani, or Bangladeshi origin.

White women and black women who had undergone a hysterectomy were significantly more likely to be on HRT than those in their ethnic group who had not undergone the procedure, the survey data showed. However, among south Asian women the difference was not significant, 8% and 10%, respectively.

Overall, only 10.0% of the south Asian women and 15.3% of the black women were on HRT, compared with 24.8% of the white women, Dr. Harris and colleagues found. The differences between groups were independent of other risk factors.

Ethnic-based differences in HRT use have not been previously reported, the authors say in their report in the September 4th issue of the British Medical Journal. "They are important, because possible long term protective effects on heart and bone may particularly benefit south Asian women."

"Hormone replacement provides an opportunity for health promotion, assessing cardiovascular risk factors, and discussing cervical and breast screening." the investigators add. They warn that "[o]pportunities for these discussions with women from ethnic minority groups may be being missed."