Climacteric symptoms and stress management techniques in peri- and early postmenopausal women

Objective. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) relieves menopausal symptoms but its effect on health related quality of life (HRQoL) is uncertain. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of three dose regimens of continuous combined HRT, consisting of estradiol valerate (E2V) and medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) on HRQoL in early postmenopausal women (last menstrual period 1–3 years before study entry). Study design. This was a 52-week, randomized, double-blind, multinational study comparing E2V (1 mg or 2 mg) plus MPA (2.5 mg or 5 mg) in different dose combinations. The intention-to-treat population comprised 459 women (average age 51.5 years). Main outcome measures. HRQoL was assessed by the Women's Health Questionnaire (WHQ), the 15D Questionnaire and a visual analogue scale (VAS). Results. There were improvements on eight of the nine domains of the WHQ with all dose regimens during the first 12 weeks ( P<0.0001) and an improvement in the remaining domain (menstrual symptoms) with the lower-dose regimens ( P<0.05). These initial improvements in HRQoL were then maintained or augmented over the remainder of the study ( P<0.0001 for change from baseline at 52 weeks for all domains and dose regimens). Mean 15D total score had improved meaningfully and significantly by 12 weeks ( P<0.0001 versus baseline) in all treatment groups and this improvement was maintained thereafter. This improvement in 15D total score was most marked among previous non-users of HRT ( P<0.05 versus previous users). VAS scores recorded significant ( P<0.05) reductions in hot flushes, sweating and sleep disturbances in all groups after week 1 and highly significant ( P<0.0001) relief of all climacteric symptoms at week 52. Conclusion. Continuous combined HRT was associated with pronounced improvement of vasomotor symptoms and HRQoL in this population of early postmenopausal women.

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Guilty Pleasure No More

Journal of Media Psychology Theories Methods and Applications ◽

10.1027/1864-1105/a000223 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 29 (3) ◽

pp. 126-136 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Robin L. Nabi ◽

Debora Pérez Torres ◽

Abby Prestin

Keyword(s):

Stress Management ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Media Use ◽

Well Being ◽

Breast Cancer Patients ◽

Positive Role ◽

Individual Difference Variables ◽

Relative Value ◽

Management Techniques ◽

Managing Stress

Abstract. Despite the substantial attention paid to stress management in the extant coping literature, media use has been surprisingly overlooked as a strategy worthy of close examination. Although media scholars have suggested media use may be driven by a need to relax, related research has been sporadic and, until recently, disconnected from the larger conversation about stress management. The present research aimed to determine the relative value of media use within the broader range of coping strategies. Based on surveys of both students and breast cancer patients, media use emerged as one of the most frequently selected strategies for managing stress across a range of personality and individual difference variables. Further, heavier television consumers and those with higher perceived stress were also more likely to use media for coping purposes. Finally, those who choose media for stress management reported it to be an effective tool, although perhaps not as effective as other popular strategies. This research not only documents the centrality of media use in the corpus of stress management techniques, thus highlighting the value of academic inquiry into media-based coping, but it also offers evidence supporting the positive role media use can play in promoting psychological well-being.

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