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Avis N, Colvin A, Hess R, Bromberger J. MIDLIFE FACTORS RELATED TO PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AT OLDER AGE: STUDY OF WOMEN’S HEALTH ACROSS THE NATION (SWAN). Innov Aging 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igy031.3593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- N Avis
- Wake Forest School of Medicine
| | - A Colvin
- University of Pittsburgh School of Public Helath
| | - R Hess
- University of Utah School of the Health Sciences
| | - J Bromberger
- University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health
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Garcia L, Qi L, Rasor M, Clark CJ, Bromberger J, Gold EB. The relationship of violence and traumatic stress to changes in weight and waist circumference: longitudinal analyses from the study of women's health across the nation. J Interpers Violence 2014; 29:1459-76. [PMID: 24212978 PMCID: PMC3969450 DOI: 10.1177/0886260513507132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
This article investigates the associations of violence and traumatic stress with changes in weight and waist circumference, hypothesizing that violence in midlife would be associated with increases or decreases in weight and waist circumference. The longitudinal cohort of the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation comprised the study sample, which included an ethnically/racially and socially diverse group of 2,870 women between the ages of 42 and 52 years at baseline. Women were followed annually for 10 years, and assessments included weight and waist circumference measures and data on violence, health outcomes, and confounders. At baseline, 8.6% Caucasian, 10.8% African American, 9.2% Chinese, and 5.0% Japanese women reported violence and traumatic stress. Reporting violence and traumatic stress during follow-up was significantly associated with weight gain (odds ratio [OR] = 2.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.28-4.47]), weight loss (OR = 3.54, 95% CI = [1.73-7.22]), and gain (OR = 2.44, 95% CI = [1.37-4.37]) or loss (OR = 2.66, 95% CI = [1.23-5.77]) in waist circumference, adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, education, marital status, and smoking. Violence and traumatic stress against midlife women were associated with gains or losses in weight and waist circumference.
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Cipkala-Gaffin J, Talbott EO, Song MK, Bromberger J, Wilson J. Associations Between Psychologic Symptoms and Life Satisfaction in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2012; 21:179-87. [DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2010.2541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Janet Cipkala-Gaffin
- Department of Nursing Education and Research, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, (UPMC) Shadyside, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Evelyn O. Talbott
- Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Mi-Kung Song
- School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Joyce Bromberger
- Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - John Wilson
- Department of Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Thurston RC, Sowers MR, Sternfeld B, Gold EB, Bromberger J, Chang Y, Joffe H, Crandall CJ, Waetjen LE, Matthews KA. Gains in body fat and vasomotor symptom reporting over the menopausal transition: the study of women's health across the nation. Am J Epidemiol 2009; 170:766-74. [PMID: 19675142 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwp203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Although most women report vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats) during midlife, their etiology and risk factors are incompletely understood. Body fat is positively associated with vasomotor symptoms cross-sectionally, but the longitudinal relation between changes in body fat and vasomotor symptoms is uncharacterized. The study aim was to examine whether gains in body fat were related to vasomotor symptom reporting over time. Measures of bioelectrical impedance for body fat, reproductive hormones, and reported vasomotor symptoms were assessed annually over 4 years from 2002 to 2006 among 1,659 women aged 47-59 years participating in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. Body fat change was examined in relation to vasomotor symptoms by using generalized estimating equations. Body fat gains were associated with greater odds of reporting hot flashes in models adjusted for age, site, race/ethnicity, education, smoking, parity, anxiety, and menopausal status (relative to stable body fat, gain: odds ratio = 1.23, 95% confidence interval: 1.02, 1.48; P = 0.03; loss: odds ratio = 1.07, 95% confidence interval: 0.89, 1.29; P = 0.45). Findings persisted controlling for estradiol, the free estradiol index, or follicle-stimulating hormone concentrations. The relations between body fat changes and night sweats were not statistically significant. Body fat gains are associated with greater hot flash reporting during the menopausal transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca C Thurston
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
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Oestreicher N, Capra A, Bromberger J, Butler LM, Crandall CJ, Gold EB, Greendale GA, Modugno F, Sternfeld B, Habel LA. Physical activity and mammographic density in a cohort of midlife women. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2008; 40:451-6. [PMID: 18379206 DOI: 10.1249/mss.0b013e31815f5b47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Physical activity (PA) is one of few modifiable breast cancer risk factors. There have been few studies of the relation between PA and mammographic density, especially in multiethnic populations. METHODS In a cohort of pre- and early perimenopausal women of non-Hispanic white (N = 373), African American (N = 55), Chinese (N = 178), and Japanese (N = 166) ethnicity, we used multivariable linear regression to examine the association between two measures of mammographic density (percent density and area of density) and mutually exclusive components of recent physical activity (sports, household/caregiving and work activity, active living). RESULTS After adjusting for race/ethnicity, menopausal status, parity, past use of hormones, body mass index, waist circumference and education, we observed nonsignificant inverse associations for percent mammographic density and the highest versus the lowest category of each of our PA domains. For example, the adjusted beta for active living = -2.62, 95% confidence interval (CI) (-5.84, 0.60). Nonsignificant inverse associations also were observed for area of density and each PA domain except work activity. However, most associations were nonlinear. CONCLUSION Our results are consistent with a modest inverse association between multiple domains of PA and mammographic density, although findings may have been attributable to chance alone.
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Thurston RC, Bromberger J, Chang Y, Goldbacher E, Brown C, Cyranowski JM, Matthews KA. Childhood abuse or neglect is associated with increased vasomotor symptom reporting among midlife women. Menopause 2008; 15:16-22. [PMID: 18257140 PMCID: PMC2957816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study tested the hypothesis that women exposed to childhood abuse or neglect would have an increased likelihood of reporting hot flashes and night sweats during the menopausal transition. DESIGN This hypothesis was evaluated in 332 white and African American women participating in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation Mental Health Study, a prospective investigation of women transitioning through menopause. Childhood abuse and neglect were measured once with the Child Trauma Questionnaire. Vasomotor symptoms (any/none hot flashes, night sweats) were reported annually over 8 years. Associations between maltreatment and vasomotor symptoms were estimated with generalized estimating equations. RESULTS Childhood abuse or neglect was associated with increased reporting of hot flashes (odds ratio = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.23-2.43) and night sweats (odds ratio = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.26-2.43) in age-adjusted models. Results persisted in multivariable models and across several types of abuse and neglect. CONCLUSIONS The experience of childhood abuse and neglect is associated with increased vasomotor symptom reporting in adulthood. The sequelae of childhood abuse and neglect may persist well into adulthood to influence the occurrence of vasomotor symptoms at midlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca C Thurston
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA 15213, USA.
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Habel LA, Capra AM, Oestreicher N, Greendale GA, Cauley JA, Bromberger J, Crandall CJ, Gold EB, Modugno F, Salane M, Quesenberry C, Sternfeld B. Mammographic density in a multiethnic cohort. Menopause 2007; 14:891-9. [PMID: 17414171 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0b013e318032569c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To compare mammographic density among premenopausal and early perimenopausal women from four racial/ethnic groups and to examine density and acculturation among Japanese and Chinese women. DESIGN The study included 391 white, 60 African American, 171 Japanese, and 179 Chinese participants in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, a multisite study of US women transitioning through menopause. Mammograms done when women were premenopausal or early perimenopausal were assessed for area of dense breast tissue and the percent of the breast occupied by dense tissue (percent density). Information on race/ethnicity, acculturation, and other factors was obtained from standardized instruments. Multiple linear regression modeling was used to examine the association between race/ethnicity or acculturation and density measures. RESULTS Age-adjusted mean percent density was highest for Chinese (52%) and lowest for African American (34%) women. After additional adjustment for body mass index, menopause status, age at first birth, breast-feeding duration, waist circumference, and smoking, African Americans had the highest mean percent density (51%) and Japanese women had the lowest (39%). In contrast, the area of dense tissue was highest for African Americans and similar for white, Japanese, and Chinese women. Less acculturated Chinese and Japanese women tended to have a larger area of density and a higher percent density. CONCLUSIONS Neither the age-adjusted nor fully adjusted results for percent density or area of dense tissue reflected current differences in breast cancer incidence rates among similarly aged African American, Japanese, Chinese, and white women. In addition, mammographic density was higher in less acculturated Asian women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurel A Habel
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, CA 94612, USA.
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Matthews KA, Schott LL, Bromberger J, Cyranowski J, Everson-Rose SA, Sowers MF. Associations between depressive symptoms and inflammatory/hemostatic markers in women during the menopausal transition. Psychosom Med 2007; 69:124-30. [PMID: 17289830 DOI: 10.1097/01.psy.0000256574.30389.1b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To test whether depressive symptoms are related to inflammatory and hemostatic markers in women approaching menopause. METHODS A total of 3292 women enrolled in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) were followed for five years and had measures of Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression and high sensitivity C-reactive protein, Factor VIIc, fibrinogen, plasminogen activator inhibitor Type 1(PAI-1), and tissue-type plasminogen activator antigen (tPA-ag) up to four times during the follow-up period. Women were pre- or early perimenopausal status at study entry and were of Caucasian, African American, Hispanic, Japanese, or Chinese race/ethnicity. RESULTS Unadjusted longitudinal mixed regression models showed that over a 5-year period, higher depressive symptoms were related to higher fibrinogen, PAI-1, and tPA-ag levels, all p < .0001. Taking into account health history, medication use, ethnicity, aging, and menopausal status, the depressive symptoms were related to fibrinogen, p < .01, and PAI-1, p < .05. Depressive symptoms were related only to fibrinogen in models that also included body mass index, p < .05. CONCLUSIONS Depressive symptoms may be associated with cardiovascular risk in perimenopausal women in part through hypercoagulability. This is the first study to test the association of depressive symptoms and hemostatic and inflammatory markers across time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen A Matthews
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
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Gold EB, Colvin A, Avis N, Bromberger J, Greendale GA, Powell L, Sternfeld B, Matthews K. Longitudinal analysis of the association between vasomotor symptoms and race/ethnicity across the menopausal transition: study of women's health across the nation. Am J Public Health 2006; 96:1226-35. [PMID: 16735636 PMCID: PMC1483882 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2005.066936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 573] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We investigated whether vasomotor symptom reporting or patterns of change in symptom reporting over the perimenopausal transition among women enrolled in a national study differed according to race/ethnicity. We also sought to determine whether racial/ethnic differences were explained by sociodemographic, health, or lifestyle factors. METHODS We followed 3198 women enrolled in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation during 1996 through 2002. We analyzed frequency of vasomotor symptom reporting using longitudinal multiple logistic regressions. RESULTS Rates of vasomotor symptom reporting were highest among African Americans (adjusted odds ratio [OR]=1.63; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.21, 2.20). The transition to late perimenopause exhibited the strongest association with vasomotor symptoms (adjusted OR = 6.64; 95% CI = 4.80, 9.20). Other risk factors were age (adjusted OR=1.17; 95% CI=1.13, 1.21), having less than a college education (adjusted OR = 1.91; 95% CI = 1.40, 2.61), increasing body mass index (adjusted OR=1.03 per unit of increase; 95% CI=1.01, 1.04), smoking (adjusted OR=1.63; 95% CI=1.25, 2.12), and anxiety symptoms at baseline (adjusted OR=3.10; 95% CI=2.33, 4.12). CONCLUSIONS Among the risk factors assessed, vasomotor symptoms were most strongly associated with menopausal status. After adjustment for covariates, symptoms were reported most often in all racial/ethnic groups in late perimenopause and nearly as often in postmenopause.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen B Gold
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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Oestreicher N, Habel LA, Bromberger J, Butler L, Crandall C, Gold E, Modugno F, Sternfeld B. 226: Association of Lifestyle Factors and Mammographic Density in a Pre/Perimenopausal Cohort. Am J Epidemiol 2005. [DOI: 10.1093/aje/161.supplement_1.s57a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- N Oestreicher
- Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, Oakland, CA 94612
| | - L A Habel
- Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, Oakland, CA 94612
| | - J Bromberger
- Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, Oakland, CA 94612
| | - L Butler
- Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, Oakland, CA 94612
| | - C Crandall
- Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, Oakland, CA 94612
| | - E Gold
- Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, Oakland, CA 94612
| | - F Modugno
- Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, Oakland, CA 94612
| | - B Sternfeld
- Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, Oakland, CA 94612
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Abstract
We examined the association between lifetime depression history and sexual function in a community-based sample of midlife women. Specifically, 914 women aged 42-52 who were participants in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation completed a self-report assessment of their sexual behaviors, sexual desire, sexual arousal, and sexual satisfaction over the past 6 months. On the basis of the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV , participants were categorized into 1 of 3 lifetime major depressive disorder (MDD) history groups: no MDD history, single episode MDD, and recurrent MDD. In line with previous reports, women with a history of recurrent MDD reported experiencing less frequent sexual arousal, less physical pleasure, and less emotional satisfaction within their current sexual relationships. Although the groups did not differ in their reported frequency of sexual desire or partnered sexual behaviors, lifetime depression history was associated with increased rates of self-stimulation (masturbation). Associations between lifetime depression history and lower levels of physical pleasure within partnered sexual relationships and higher rates of masturbation remained significant following control for current depressive symptoms, study site, marital status, psychotropic medication use, and lifetime history of anxiety or substance abuse/dependence disorder. Future research is needed to characterize the temporal and etiologic relationships among lifetime depressive disorder, current mood state, and sexual function in women across the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill M Cyranowski
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
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Avis NE, Ory M, Matthews KA, Schocken M, Bromberger J, Colvin A. Health-related quality of life in a multiethnic sample of middle-aged women: Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Med Care 2003; 41:1262-76. [PMID: 14583689 DOI: 10.1097/01.mlr.0000093479.39115.af] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Relatively little is known about the association between menopause and health-related quality of life (HRQL) across ethnic groups. OBJECTIVES To examine the association between HRQL and early perimenopause and ethnicity, adjusting for health, lifestyle, psychosocial, and sociodemographic factors. RESEARCH DESIGN Questionnaires were administered to pre- and early perimenopausal women. SUBJECTS We studied a cohort of 3302 black, Chinese, Hispanic, Japanese, and white women aged 42 to 52 years from the multisite Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). MEASURES We measured HRQL, menstrual regularity, and a variety of covariates. HRQL was assessed with 5 subscales from the Short Form-36; impaired functioning was defined as being in the 25% most impaired on a subscale. RESULTS In unadjusted, but not adjusted, analyses, significantly more early perimenopausal women, as compared with premenopausal women, were classified as having impaired functioning on each of the 5 subscales. For 4 of the subscales, the effect of menopausal status was explained by menopause-related symptoms. There were significant ethnic group differences across all 5 subscales in unadjusted analyses. Ethnicity was no longer significant for the Vitality or Role-Emotional subscales when adjusted for health variables or for the Role-Physical subscale when analyses were adjusted for socioeconomic status, health, lifestyle, or social circumstances. Ethnicity remained significant for the Bodily Pain and Social Functioning subscales, even in adjusted analyses. CONCLUSIONS Early perimenopause is not associated with impaired functioning when adjusted for symptoms. Significant ethnic differences in HRQL exist. Some, but not all, differences can be explained by differences in health, lifestyle, and social circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy E Avis
- Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157-1063, USA.
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Kravitz HM, Ganz PA, Bromberger J, Powell LH, Sutton-Tyrrell K, Meyer PM. Sleep difficulty in women at midlife: a community survey of sleep and the menopausal transition. Menopause 2003; 10:19-28. [PMID: 12544673 DOI: 10.1097/00042192-200310010-00005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare age-adjusted and ethnic differences in prevalences of sleep difficulty at various stages of the menopausal transition and to determine the relative contribution of other factors, including vasomotor symptoms, sociodemographics, and psychological and physical health factors, to self-reported sleep difficulty in middle-aged women. DESIGN A community-based survey of women's health and menopausal symptoms was conducted between November 1995 and October 1997 at each of the seven US sites participating in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. A multiethnic sample of 12,603 Caucasian, African American, Chinese, Japanese, and Hispanic women aged 40 to 55 years was categorized into six groups: premenopausal, early perimenopausal, late perimenopausal, naturally postmenopausal, surgically postmenopausal, and postmenopausal receiving hormone replacement therapy. The women were asked whether they had experienced difficulty sleeping in the past 2 weeks. RESULTS Difficulty sleeping was reported by 38%. Age-adjusted rates were highest in the late perimenopausal (45.4%) and surgically postmenopausal (47.6%) groups. Among ethnic groups, rates ranged from 28% in Japanese women to 40% in Caucasian women. In the multivariate analysis, menopausal status was significantly associated with difficulty sleeping. Ethnicity, vasomotor and psychological symptoms, self-perceived health and health behaviors, arthritis, and education also were significantly associated with difficulty sleeping. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that stage of the menopausal transition, independent of other potential explanatory factors, is associated with self-reported sleep difficulty. Older age per se was not significantly associated with difficulty sleeping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Howard M Kravitz
- Department of Psychiatry, Rush Medical College, Chicago, IL, USA.
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Castilla RC, Bromberger J, Perel JM, Matthews K. #40-S association of depression with increases of plasma fibrinogen concentrations in midlife women. Ann Epidemiol 2002. [DOI: 10.1016/s1047-2797(02)00328-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Gold EB, Bromberger J, Crawford S, Samuels S, Greendale GA, Harlow SD, Skurnick J. Factors associated with age at natural menopause in a multiethnic sample of midlife women. Am J Epidemiol 2001; 153:865-74. [PMID: 11323317 DOI: 10.1093/aje/153.9.865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 543] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
An unprecedented number of women will experience menopause in the next decade. Although the timing of menopause affects long-term disease risk, little is known about factors that affect this timing. In the present 1995--1997 cross-sectional study, the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, the relation of demographic and lifestyle factors to age at natural menopause was examined in seven US centers and five racial/ethnic groups. All characteristics were self-reported by women aged 40--55 years (n = 14,620). Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the probability of menopause by age. Overall, median age at natural menopause was 51.4 years, after adjustment for smoking, education, marital status, history of heart disease, parity, race/ethnicity, employment, and prior use of oral contraceptives. Current smoking, lower educational attainment, being separated/widowed/divorced, nonemployment, and history of heart disease were all independently associated with earlier natural menopause, while parity, prior use of oral contraceptives, and Japanese race/ethnicity were associated with later age at natural menopause. This sample is one of the largest and most diverse ever studied, and comprehensive statistical methods were used to assess factors associated with age at natural menopause. Thus, this study provides important insights into this determinant of long-term disease risk in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- E B Gold
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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Boyles SH, Ness RB, Grisso JA, Markovic N, Bromberger J, CiFelli D. Life event stress and the association with spontaneous abortion in gravid women at an urban emergency department. Health Psychol 2001. [PMID: 11129353 DOI: 10.1037//0278-6133.19.6.510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In this study, the authors hypothesized that life event stress is associated with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion. Using a nested case-control design in an emergency department (N = 970), stress was measured using a life event inventory and a sample drawn from R. B. Ness et al.'s (1999) Early Pregnancy Study. Gestational age at time of fetal loss served as a marker of chromosomal status. Women experiencing more than one life event used more alcohol and public assistance. Spontaneous abortion at 11 weeks or greater was associated with more life event stress (adjusted odds ratio 2.9, 95% confidence interval 1.4-6.2), whereas spontaneous abortion at any gestational age was not, implying that life event stress increases the risk of chromosomally normal spontaneous abortion. An analysis of confounders showed tobacco use was associated with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion, whereas prenatal care was only associated with fetal loss at 11 weeks or greater.
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Affiliation(s)
- S H Boyles
- Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA
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Avis NE, Stellato R, Crawford S, Bromberger J, Ganz P, Cain V, Kagawa-Singer M. Is there a menopausal syndrome? Menopausal status and symptoms across racial/ethnic groups. Soc Sci Med 2001; 52:345-56. [PMID: 11330770 DOI: 10.1016/s0277-9536(00)00147-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 415] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, research on menopausal symptomalogy has focused on identifying symptom groupings experienced by women as they progress from premenopausal to postmenopausal status. However, most of these studies have been conducted among Caucasian women from western cultures. This leaves open the question of whether the findings from these studies can be extended to women of other racial/ethnic groups or cultures. Furthermore, many of the previous studies have been conducted on relatively small samples. This paper addresses the diversity of the menopause experience by comparing symptom reporting in a large cross-sectional survey of women aged 40-55 years among racial/ethnic groups of women in the United States (Caucasian, African-American, Chinese, Japanese, and Hispanic). Evaluation of the extent to which symptoms group together and consistently relate to menopausal status across these five samples provides evidence for or against a universal menopausal syndrome. The specific research questions addressed in this paper are: (1) How does the factor structure of symptoms among mid-aged women compare across racial/ethnic groups? (2) Is symptom reporting related to race/ethnicity or menopausal status? and (3) Does the relation between menopausal status and symptoms vary across racial/ethnic groups? Analyses are based on 14,906 women who participated in the multi-ethnic, multi-race, multi-site study of mid-aged women called the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Study participants completed a 15-min telephone or in-person interview that contained questions on a variety of health-related topics. Items of interest for these analyses include symptoms, menstrual history (to assess menopausal status), health status, and sociodemographics. Factor analysis results showed that across all five racial/ethnic groups, two consistent factors emerged; one consisting of clearly menopausal symptoms -- hot flashes and night sweats -- and the other consisting of psychological and psychosomatic symptoms. Results of regression analyses showed racial/ethnic differences in symptom reporting, as well as differences by menopausal status. Controlling for age, education, health, and economic strain, Caucasian women reported significantly more psychosomatic symptoms than other racial/ethnic groups. African-American women reported significantly more vasomotor symptoms. Perimenopausal women, hormone users, and women who had a surgical menopause reported significantly more vasomotor symptoms. All of these groups, plus postmenopausal women, reported significantly more vasomotor symptoms than premenopausal women. The pattern of results argues against a universal menopausal syndrome consisting of a variety of vasomotor and psychological symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- N E Avis
- New England Research Institutes, Watertown, MA 02472, USA.
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Boyles SH, Ness RB, Grisso JA, Markovic N, Bromberger J, CiFelli D. Life event stress and the association with spontaneous abortion in gravid women at an urban emergency department. Health Psychol 2000; 19:510-4. [PMID: 11129353 DOI: 10.1037/0278-6133.19.6.510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In this study, the authors hypothesized that life event stress is associated with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion. Using a nested case-control design in an emergency department (N = 970), stress was measured using a life event inventory and a sample drawn from R. B. Ness et al.'s (1999) Early Pregnancy Study. Gestational age at time of fetal loss served as a marker of chromosomal status. Women experiencing more than one life event used more alcohol and public assistance. Spontaneous abortion at 11 weeks or greater was associated with more life event stress (adjusted odds ratio 2.9, 95% confidence interval 1.4-6.2), whereas spontaneous abortion at any gestational age was not, implying that life event stress increases the risk of chromosomally normal spontaneous abortion. An analysis of confounders showed tobacco use was associated with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion, whereas prenatal care was only associated with fetal loss at 11 weeks or greater.
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Affiliation(s)
- S H Boyles
- Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- M Hall
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
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