title: Investigation of the relationship between personality characteristics and vasomotor symptoms in menopausal women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Research demonstrates that most of the menopausal symptoms and problems are the reflection of individual and social circumstances rather than the endocrine events of the menopause. As majority of women live 30 years or more through postmenopausal period, treatment and following up their problems during this period is among the main duties of a midwife. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between personality traits and vasomotor symptoms in postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  This correlation study was conducted on 400 postmenopausal women referring to the training maternity centers of Mashhad, Iran. Subjects were selected through simple sampling method and filled NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI (questionnaire. Their daily records of hot flashes and night sweats were also collected. NEO-FFI questionnaire assesses the five personality aspects of neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, conscientiousness, and agreeableness. After the data were collected, they were analyzed by Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and linear regression statistical tests. P < 0.05 was considered as a statistically significant value.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the women were in average level of personality traits. Among the aspects of personality traits, there was a significant correlation between intensity of hot flashes (P = 0.041) and night sweats (P = 0.028), and conscientiousness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to the results of the study, during treatment of the vasomotor symptoms, a midwife should pay close attention to the personality of postmenopausal women to achieve an effective treatment. These women should also be referred to a psychologist, if needed.
authors: Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Khorasan Shomali University of Medical Sciences, Bojnord, Iran.
authors: Mahboubeh
authors: M
authors: Ghorbani
authors: Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors: Sedigheh
authors: S
authors: Azhari
authors: Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors: Habib Allah
authors: HA
authors: Esmaily
authors: Department of Psychology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
authors: Bahram Ali
authors: BA
authors: GhanbariHashemabadi
keywords: Iran; menopause; personality characteristics; personality traits; vasomotor symptoms