A psychological analysis of menopausal hot flushes

Hot flushes and night sweats are one of the main symptoms accompanying the menopause, and are a main reason for seeking medical help at this time. This study of 61 women (reporting hot flushes once a week or more) investigates dimensions of subjective reporting using open questions and rating scales. Two separate factors were delineated using a principal component factor analysis - frequency (of hot flushes and night sweats) and problem ratings (of distress, interference and perception of flushes as problematic) - which had high test-retest reliability. The frequency ratings correlated highly with prospective daily monitoring. Depressed mood, anxiety and low self-esteem, but not frequency, discriminated between those who regarded flushes as problematic and those who did not. It is suggested that these two subjective measures should be used in assessment and in evaluation of hormonal and psychological interventions.