Question

VMS can impact:

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VMS disproportionately affect women of color

In the US:

  • A higher percentage of Black and Hispanic women experience VMS, 46% and 34%, respectively, vs 31% of White women7
  • Black women are affected by bothersome VMS 1.5x more than White women6,8
  • On average, Black women and Hispanic women tend to experience VMS for 2 to 4 years longer than White women6

Black women

Hispanic women

White women

Japanese and Chinese women

BLACK WOMEN

EXPERIENCE
VMS FOR

10.1

YEARS6

Middle-aged menopausal Black woman looking at the camera confidently with light reflecting on her perspiration.

HISPANIC WOMEN

EXPERIENCE
VMS FOR

8.9

YEARS6

Middle-aged menopausal Hispanic woman looking at the camera confidently with light reflecting on her perspiration.

WHITE WOMEN

EXPERIENCE
VMS FOR

6.5

YEARS6

Middle-aged menopausal White woman looking at the camera confidently with light reflecting on her perspiration.

JAPANESE AND
CHINESE WOMEN

EXPERIENCE
VMS FOR

4.8 TO5.4

YEARS6

Middle-aged menopausal Asian woman looking at the camera confidently with light reflecting on her perspiration.
Middle age menopausal Asian woman

VMS IN HER WORDS

“When you talk to others and
suddenly your face turns bright red,
all you want is for the ground to open
up and swallow you because it is so
embarrassing.”

VMS IN HER WORDS

“When you talk to others and
suddenly your face turns bright red,
all you want is for the ground to open
up and swallow you because it is so
embarrassing.”

Learn more about the impacts of VMS

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References: 1. Williams RE, Levine KB, Kalilani L, Lewis J, Clark RV. Menopause-specific questionnaire assessment in US population-based study shows negative impact on health-related quality of life. Maturitas 2009;62(2):153-9. 2. Biglia N, Cagnacci A, Gambacciani M, Lello S, Maffei S, Nappi RE. Vasomotor symptoms in menopause: a biomarker of cardiovascular disease risk and other chronic diseases? Climacteric 2017;20(4):306-12. 3. Thurston RC. Vasomotor symptoms. In: Crandall CJ, Bachman GA, Faubion SS, et al., eds. Menopause Practice: A Clinician’s Guide. 6th ed. Pepper Pike, OH: The North American Menopause Society, 2019:43-55. 4. Baker FC, Lampio L, Saaresranta T, Polo-Kantola P. Sleep and sleep disorders in the menopausal transition. Sleep Med Clin 2018;13(3):443-56. 5. Hunter MS, Gentry-Maharaj A, Ryan A, et al. Prevalence, frequency and problem of rating hot flushes persist in older postmenopausal women: impact of age, body mass index, hysterectomy, al. cohort study of 10418 British women aged 54-65. BJOG 2012;119(1):40-50. 6. Avis NE, Crawford SL, Greendale G, et al. Duration of menopausal vasomotor symptoms over the menopause transition. JAMA Intern Med 2015;175(4):531-9. 7. Utian WH. Psychosocial and socioeconomic burden of vasomotor symptoms in menopause: a comprehensive review. Health Qual Life Outcomes 2005;3:47. 8. Thurston RC, Bromberger JT, Joffe H, et al. Beyond frequency: who is most bothered by vasomotor symptoms? Menopause 2008;15(5):841-7.