An investigation of life circumstances associated with the experience of hot flashes in Campeche, Mexico.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to better understand the experience of calores (hot flashes) in the state of Campeche, Mexico, and characteristics of women's lives. This study was carried out to understand the sociocultural context of women's lives before conducting a larger semistructured survey in the same communities.

METHODS

Eighty-five women from rural and urban settings participated in open-ended interviews about the menopausal transition, with particular attention to hot flashes. Univariate and logistic regression analyses identified potential determinants of hot flashes. Qualitative responses were analyzed for central themes from the 40 women who experienced "calores" associated with menopause at the time of interview.

RESULTS

The word "calores" was used to describe a variety of sensations and experiences related to the hot climate, infections, going in and out of air-conditioning, emotional stress, and physical exertion, as well as the symptom associated with menopause. In quantitative analyses, the likelihood of experiencing hot flashes varied by menopause status and rural/urban residence. In qualitative analyses, themes that characterized the lives of women with hot flashes were as follows: the search for, and the availability of, biomedical care; presence or absence of networks of social support; marital status and quality of the relationship; and occupational stress.

CONCLUSIONS

Hot flash questionnaires can elicit different symptom frequencies depending on the language used and the sociocultural context of women's lives. Qualitative findings suggest that the themes most likely to influence the perception and experience of hot flashes in Campeche are biomedicine, social support, marriage, and stress.