Hot Flashes and Quality of Life Among Breast Cancer Patients

Abstract

This prospective study examined hot flashes and quality of life (QOL) in BC patients undergoing initial treatment. The medical and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) interventions used by patients were also examined. One hundred and ninety-six women were recruited to the study and data for several time-points continues to be collected on women who were recruited to the study 12 months ago in order to complete their 15 and 18 month questionnaires. A limited analysis of data gathered to date is available. Women were assessed for hot flash intensity/frequency, use of medical and CAM interventions, emotional distress, physical and social functioning, and QOL at diagnosis and 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 months. Data were analyzed for each timepoint and results will be discussed in this report in relation to each specific aim. The sample is primarily middle-aged (M = 52 years; R = 27-83 years), European American (72.6%), has at least some college education (76.5%), and is married (64.2%). Approximately one-half (51.5%) of the sample reported that they were post-menopausal at diagnosis with 48.5% pre-menopausal. Of the women who were pre-menopausal prior to diagnosis, approximately (10%) reported that they were experiencing hot flashes at the 12 month time-point and these younger women reported higher levels of distress related to hot flashes than those women who were postmenopausal and already experiencing hot flashes. Of women currently experiencing hot flashes, 40.7% report at baseline, having used HRT and 26.8% used exercise to control hot flashes. The 12-month data indicates that 26.5% of the entire sample who are experiencing hot flashes, tried or are using some form of HRT to control hot flashes with exercise still the most frequently used approach to manage hot flashes with 44.2% of sample currently exercising.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 2006
Accession Number
ADA466169

Entities

People

  • Linda A. Jacobs

Organizations

  • University of Pennsylvania

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Biomedical Research
  • Breast Cancer
  • Data Analysis
  • Department Of Defense
  • Education
  • Frequency
  • Health Services
  • Intensity
  • Intervention
  • Medical Personnel
  • Neoplasms
  • Oncology
  • Quality Of Life
  • Questionnaires
  • Testicular Cancer
  • Training
  • Universities

Readers

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