Substance Use Linked to Increased Menopausal Symptoms in Women With and Without HIV: Study
Researchers have found in a study that substance use of alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, and opioids is independently associated with greater reported frequency of vasomotor symptoms, mood problems, and musculoskeletal complaints among women regardless of HIV status. A recent 12-year longitudinal study (2008-2020) provides insights into the potential role of substance use in the severity of menopausal symptoms. This study may serve as a guide for the need for targeted intervention and professional menopausal care for those affected. This study was recently published in the journal Menopause by Knittel A. and colleagues.
Menopausal symptoms, particularly vasomotor (e.g., hot flashes), mood disturbances, and musculoskeletal pain, increase in prevalence during the menopausal transition and can severely affect quality of life. The present investigation tests associations between various substance uses and frequency of menopausal symptoms among women living both with and without HIV.
The authors examined data from the WIHS, a longitudinal cohort study of 1,949 participants with biannual visits from 2008 to 2020. For this analysis, the authors selected self-reported menopausal symptoms and substance use: tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, crack/cocaine, and opioids. Logistic regression models were used to quantify the associations between each substance use and frequency of menopausal symptoms, adjusting for other variables such as HIV status, demographics, comorbidities, and trauma.
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