Substance use and menopausal symptoms among people with and without HIV in the US, 2008-2020
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to assess associations between substance use and menopausal symptoms among US people living with and without HIV in a longitudinal cohort. METHODS: We analyzed self-reported menopausal symptoms and substance use from biannual Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) visits from 2008-2020. Substance use since the last visit or lifetime cumulative use included tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, crack/cocaine, and opioids. Logistic regression quantified associations between each substance use and menopausal symptom frequency (vasomotor, mood, and musculoskeletal), adjusting for other substance use, HIV status, demographics, comorbidities, and trauma. RESULTS: A total of 1,949 participants contributed early perimenopausal, late perimenopausal, or postmenopausal study visits. Across reproductive-aging stages, based on menstrual history, and among participants with and without HIV, participants reported frequent vasomotor (range 22-43%), mood (18-28%), and musculoskeletal (25-34%) symptoms. Many reported ever using tobacco (72%), heavy alcohol (75%), marijuana (73%), crack (50%), and opioids (31%). Current heavy alcohol use (odds ratio [OR]: 1.22; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10-1.37), cumulative marijuana use (OR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.01-1.32), and cumulative tobacco use (OR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01-1.12) were associated with a higher frequency of vasomotor symptoms; current heavy alcohol use (OR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.04-1.39) and current opioid use (OR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.01-1.25) were associated with mood symptoms; and current opioid use (OR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.00-1.23) was associated with musculoskeletal symptoms. All other associations were found to be null. CONCLUSIONS: Current and prior substance use may independently affect symptoms experienced during the menopausal transition and may indicate potential to benefit from additional intervention and referral to menopause specialty care.
Authors
- Brooke W. Bullington (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3341-087X)
- Andrew Edmonds (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6768-0096)
- Dominika Seidman
- Lisa Rahangdale (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4444-7969)
- Genevieve Neal-Perry
- Caitlin A. Moran (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8436-0465)
- Adaora A. Adimora (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5035-1552)
- Andrea K. Knittel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4292-3255)
- Elizabeth T. Golub (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5860-4913)
- Catalina Ramirez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0872-0307)
- Tracey E. Wilson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2087-8545)
- Deborah L. Jones (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4106-8891)
- Deborah J. Konkle‐Parker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3319-8442)
- Helen E. Cejtin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9151-0203)
- Anjali Sharma (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3909-3174)
- Seble G. Kasseye
Institutions
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- UNC Libraries
- Published
- 2025-10-02
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.17615/fcfx-de32
- Primary Topic
- Tea Polyphenols and Effects
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Gilead Sciences
- Northwestern University
- Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance
- National Institutes of Health
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- University of California, San Francisco
- Center for AIDS Research, University of Alabama at Birmingham
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
- National Institute on Aging
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
- National Institute of Mental Health
- National Institute on Drug Abuse
- National Cancer Institute
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
- National Institute of Nursing Research
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
- National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
- Center for AIDS Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of California, Los Angeles