title: Menopausal women's perceived causes of hot flash.
abstract: This descriptive study examined the perceptions of a group of breast cancer survivors about the causes of their hot flashes. Thirty-nine participants readily offered 1,008 individual responses. A content analysis revealed four prominent categories (stress, pain, medication related, and lack of sleep) as well as others (e.g., food related, heat related). In the context of concerns about biomedical approaches to hot flash treatment (specifically hormone therapy [HT]), inconsistent data regarding nonhormonal treatment options, and the many psychosocial factors identified as related to the hot flash experience, the benefits of identifying and addressing women's perceptions in developing effective treatment plans are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Chatham University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15232, USA. mstubbs@chatham.edu
authors.forename: Margaret L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Stubbs
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Feridey
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carr
mesh_terms: D026881:Acupuncture; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D017741:Survivors; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D013629:Tamoxifen