Long-term experience of vasomotor instability: A five-year follow-up study of perceived control, coping and distress

Abstract

Objectives: Vasomotor instability can be a long-term feature of the post-menopause yet little is known about how women cope. This study followed up a group of women over five years, to examine whether current levels of flush-related distress/discomfort were associated with past and present control beliefs, catastrophic thoughts and coping strategies. A further aim was to validate two measures developed in previous research against conceptually relevant standardised scales.