Experiences of hot flashes, urinary incontinence and mood among South Asian American women: the MASALA study

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to characterize menopause timing, type (natural or surgical) and symptoms in US-based South Asian women. Method: The study included 405 women of South Asian descent aged between 43 and 78 years who participated in the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) study. Menopause experiences were assessed with structured questionnaires. The study described sociodemographic, health and lifestyle characteristics and menopause symptoms by menopause stage, type (natural or surgical) and timing, and tested for differences using chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests. Results: Most women (92%) were postmenopausal, and 7% reported surgical menopause. The mean recalled age at natural menopause was 48 years, and the median recalled age was 49 years. Nearly a third of women experienced premature/early menopause (age ≤45 years). Overall, women reported hot flashes of any intensity (from mild to extremely bothersome) in the past month (30%), urinary incontinence in the past 12 months (37%) and depressive symptoms (15%). Menopause symptoms varied by menopause timing and type (natural vs. surgical). Particularly, the point prevalence of bothersome hot flashes of any intensity in the past month, urinary leakage in the past 12 months and depressive symptoms in the past week was 28%, 37% and 14%, respectively, for women who had natural menopause, and 40%, 48% and 20%, respectively, for surgical menopause. Conclusion: Women of South Asian ancestry reported an earlier recalled age at natural menopause than the average age of 52 years reported in the USA. The burden of hot flashes of any intensity, urinary and mood disturbances suggested distinct postmenopause experiences.