title: Well-being during the menopausal transition and early postmenopause: a longitudinal analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine relationships between well-being and the menopausal transition (MT) to determine (1) whether women's well-being varies over the course of the MT and early postmenopause (PM) and (2) whether any observed variation is predicted by MT variables, other midlife transitions, or personal resources.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women from the Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study (N = 334) provided data for these analyses from at least one annual health questionnaire and a menstrual calendar. A subset of women provided a first morning voided urine specimen from 1997 through 2005. Urine samples were assayed for estrone glucuronide and follicle-stimulating hormone. Mixed-effects modeling using the R library was used to investigate whether MT-related factors, including MT stage, presence of hot flashes, hot flash severity and levels of estrone glucuronide and follicle-stimulating hormone, number of negative life events, or personal resources of mastery and satisfaction with social support are significant predictors of well-being.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The model that best fit the data showed that mastery and satisfaction with social support predicted increases in well-being, whereas negative life events predicted decreases in well-being. None of the MT-related factors predicted change in well-being.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The variability in women's well-being in this study was more affected by life events other than the MT and early PM and by the personal resources available to meet transition demands. These findings suggest that for most women, the MT is not a predictor of level of well-being when considered in a broader life context.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Child Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98112-2135, USA. smithdijulio@comcast.net
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Smith-DiJulio
authors.forename: Nancy Fugate
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: Ellen Sullivan
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004970:Estrone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000652:urine; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000652:urine; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012944:Social Support; D016387:Women's Health
chemical_list: D004970:Estrone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone