How African American Patients Are Affected By Vasomotor Symptoms

African American women experience menopause within a broader context of biological, social, and structural influences that shape symptom burden and outcomes. In this segment, Genevieve Neal-Perry, MD, PhD, explains that vasomotor symptoms (VMS), including hot flashes and night sweats, affect up to 80% to 90% of menopausal women, with approximately one-third experiencing symptoms severe enough to disrupt daily functioning. These symptoms are closely linked to sleep disturbance, impaired work productivity, metabolic changes, and diminished overall quality of life.

Neal-Perry highlights findings from the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN), a large longitudinal cohort that characterized menopause experiences across diverse racial and ethnic groups. Contrary to earlier assumptions that hot flashes last fewer than 5 years, SWAN demonstrated substantially longer durations, particularly among African American women, who report VMS for more than 10 years on average. This extended duration, combined with higher severity, may contribute to downstream risks such as cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline.

The segment underscores the importance of evaluating menopause therapies across diverse populations. Neal-Perry emphasizes that pharmacologic response can vary by race, ethnicity, body composition, and other patient characteristics due to differences in drug metabolism and disease burden. Because African American women experience the highest frequency and longest duration of VMS, demonstrating therapeutic efficacy in this population is essential to ensuring equitable and effective menopause care.