Prevalence and impact of vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause among Nordic women: Subgroup analysis from an international cross‐sectional survey
Abstract Introduction The objectives of this study were to evaluate the prevalence and impact of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS) on quality of life, sleep, work, and daily activities. We also assessed treatment patterns for VMS, lifestyle changes to mitigate VMS, and attitudes toward ava...
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2025-08-01
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| Series: | Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/aogs.15139 |
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| author | Angelica Lindén Hirschberg Päivi Polo‐Kantola Inger Øverlie Ellen Løkkegaard Elinor Cockburn Carol Rea Janet S. Kim |
| author_facet | Angelica Lindén Hirschberg Päivi Polo‐Kantola Inger Øverlie Ellen Løkkegaard Elinor Cockburn Carol Rea Janet S. Kim |
| author_sort | Angelica Lindén Hirschberg |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Introduction The objectives of this study were to evaluate the prevalence and impact of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS) on quality of life, sleep, work, and daily activities. We also assessed treatment patterns for VMS, lifestyle changes to mitigate VMS, and attitudes toward available treatments and menopause. Material and Methods Women from Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden aged 40–65 years completed an online survey as part of a larger multinational study. The primary outcome, prevalence of moderate to severe VMS, was assessed in postmenopausal women. Secondary outcomes, including the impact of VMS on quality of life (Menopause‐Specific Quality of Life [MENQoL] questionnaire), sleep (Patient‐Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System [PROMIS] Sleep Disturbances‐Short Form 8b), and work and daily activities (Work Productivity and Activity Impairment [WPAI] questionnaire) were assessed in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women experiencing ≥1 moderate to severe hot flush per day in the prior month. Additionally, survey questions evaluated treatment patterns, lifestyle changes, and opinions toward VMS treatment and menopause in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Results Among 6383 postmenopausal women (primary analysis population), 739 (11.6%) experienced moderate to severe VMS regardless of whether they were receiving treatment. Among 863 symptomatic perimenopausal and postmenopausal women (secondary analysis population), VMS impaired quality of life and sleep. Work and daily activities were impaired by 24.2% and 30.6%, respectively. Around 35% of women sought advice; however, most women (>60%) reported not taking any treatment for VMS. Among those treating VMS, supplements and nonprescription medications were the most common treatments (19.2%); 12.9% of women reported taking menopausal hormone therapy. As many as 54.3% of women reported taking over‐the‐counter treatments; 77.8% adopted lifestyle changes to mitigate VMS. One in 4 women (25.6%) expressed concerns about menopausal hormone therapy side effects; 49.5% of women who had used nonmenopausal hormone therapy prescription medication stopped for lack of efficacy. Many women strongly agreed that menopause is a natural part of aging. Conclusions Over 10% of postmenopausal Nordic women reported suffering from moderate to severe VMS. VMS impaired the quality of life, sleep, work productivity, and daily activities among perimenopausal and postmenopausal Nordic women, emphasizing the need for effective and well‐tolerated treatments. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fb4c16ac11ab4c0ca795fb1cc5d4918e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0001-6349 1600-0412 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
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| series | Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica |
| spelling | doaj-art-fb4c16ac11ab4c0ca795fb1cc5d4918e2025-08-20T03:31:24ZengWileyActa Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica0001-63491600-04122025-08-0110481575158610.1111/aogs.15139Prevalence and impact of vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause among Nordic women: Subgroup analysis from an international cross‐sectional surveyAngelica Lindén Hirschberg0Päivi Polo‐Kantola1Inger Øverlie2Ellen Løkkegaard3Elinor Cockburn4Carol Rea5Janet S. Kim6Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet and Department of Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine Karolinska University Hospital Stockholm SwedenDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology Turku University Hospital and University of Turku Turku FinlandMedicus Oslo AS Oslo NorwayDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology Copenhagen University Hospital Hillerød DenmarkMedical Affairs Nordics Astellas Pharma Global Development Inc. Northbrook Illinois USABrand & Integrated Research Solutions, IQVIA London UKAstellas Pharma Global Development Inc. Northbrook Illinois USAAbstract Introduction The objectives of this study were to evaluate the prevalence and impact of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS) on quality of life, sleep, work, and daily activities. We also assessed treatment patterns for VMS, lifestyle changes to mitigate VMS, and attitudes toward available treatments and menopause. Material and Methods Women from Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden aged 40–65 years completed an online survey as part of a larger multinational study. The primary outcome, prevalence of moderate to severe VMS, was assessed in postmenopausal women. Secondary outcomes, including the impact of VMS on quality of life (Menopause‐Specific Quality of Life [MENQoL] questionnaire), sleep (Patient‐Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System [PROMIS] Sleep Disturbances‐Short Form 8b), and work and daily activities (Work Productivity and Activity Impairment [WPAI] questionnaire) were assessed in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women experiencing ≥1 moderate to severe hot flush per day in the prior month. Additionally, survey questions evaluated treatment patterns, lifestyle changes, and opinions toward VMS treatment and menopause in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Results Among 6383 postmenopausal women (primary analysis population), 739 (11.6%) experienced moderate to severe VMS regardless of whether they were receiving treatment. Among 863 symptomatic perimenopausal and postmenopausal women (secondary analysis population), VMS impaired quality of life and sleep. Work and daily activities were impaired by 24.2% and 30.6%, respectively. Around 35% of women sought advice; however, most women (>60%) reported not taking any treatment for VMS. Among those treating VMS, supplements and nonprescription medications were the most common treatments (19.2%); 12.9% of women reported taking menopausal hormone therapy. As many as 54.3% of women reported taking over‐the‐counter treatments; 77.8% adopted lifestyle changes to mitigate VMS. One in 4 women (25.6%) expressed concerns about menopausal hormone therapy side effects; 49.5% of women who had used nonmenopausal hormone therapy prescription medication stopped for lack of efficacy. Many women strongly agreed that menopause is a natural part of aging. Conclusions Over 10% of postmenopausal Nordic women reported suffering from moderate to severe VMS. VMS impaired the quality of life, sleep, work productivity, and daily activities among perimenopausal and postmenopausal Nordic women, emphasizing the need for effective and well‐tolerated treatments.https://doi.org/10.1111/aogs.15139menopausestatisticsvasomotor symptomswomen's health issues |
| spellingShingle | Angelica Lindén Hirschberg Päivi Polo‐Kantola Inger Øverlie Ellen Løkkegaard Elinor Cockburn Carol Rea Janet S. Kim Prevalence and impact of vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause among Nordic women: Subgroup analysis from an international cross‐sectional survey Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica menopause statistics vasomotor symptoms women's health issues |
| title | Prevalence and impact of vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause among Nordic women: Subgroup analysis from an international cross‐sectional survey |
| title_full | Prevalence and impact of vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause among Nordic women: Subgroup analysis from an international cross‐sectional survey |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence and impact of vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause among Nordic women: Subgroup analysis from an international cross‐sectional survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence and impact of vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause among Nordic women: Subgroup analysis from an international cross‐sectional survey |
| title_short | Prevalence and impact of vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause among Nordic women: Subgroup analysis from an international cross‐sectional survey |
| title_sort | prevalence and impact of vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause among nordic women subgroup analysis from an international cross sectional survey |
| topic | menopause statistics vasomotor symptoms women's health issues |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/aogs.15139 |
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