Hot flashes are associated with psychological symptoms of anxiety and depression in peri- and post- but not premenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the relationship between anxiety, depression, vasomotor symptoms, and menopausal status among middle-aged women.


METHODS
A population-based study involving a rural Taiwanese population. Participants received a structured questionnaire, which included the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), gynecological history and a checklist of menopausal symptoms in the most recent 2 weeks.


RESULTS
A total of 1273 women with no history of surgical menopause and hormonal therapy history participated. The mean anxiety, depression, and total HADS scores were 4.3 +/- 3.3, 3.3 +/- 2.8 and 7.6 +/- 5.3, respectively, and did not differ according to menopausal status. A total of 10.5% participants reported hot flashes within the previous 2 weeks. After controlling for educational status and insomnia, anxiety (6.0 +/- 3.8 versus 4.1 +/- 3.1) and depression scores (4.0 +/- 3.3 versus 3.2 +/- 2.7) were significantly higher (p < 0.001) compared with those without hot flashes. These differences were attributed to peri- and postmenopausal subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Hot flashes in peri- and postmenopausal women were associated with anxious and depressive symptoms in East Asian population with low prevalence of vasomotor symptoms.
Juang
Kai-Dih
KD
Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan.
Wang
Shuu-Jiun
SJ
Lu
Shiang-Ru
SR
Lee
Shin-Jung
SJ
Fuh
Jong-Ling
JL
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D012424:Rural Population; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014666:Vasomotor System / Q000502:physiology