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.