Mini-Residencies to Improve Care for Women Veterans: A Decade of Re-Educating Veterans Health Administration Primary Care Providers.

Background: Many primary care providers (PCPs) in the Veterans Health Administration need updated clinical training in women's health. The objective was to design, implement, and evaluate a training program to increase participants' comfort with and provision of care to women Veterans, and foster practice changes in women's health care at their local institutions. Methods: The Women's Health Mini-Residency was developed as a multi-day training program, based on principles of adult learning, wherein knowledge gleaned through didactic presentations was solidified during small-group case study discussions and further enhanced by hands-on training and creation of a facility-specific action plan to improve women Veterans' care. Pre, post, and 6-month surveys assessed attendees' comfort with and provision of care to women. The 6-month survey also queried changes in practice, promulgation of program content, and action plan progress. Results: From 2008 to 2019, 2912 PCPs attended 26 programs. A total of 2423 (83.2%) completed pretraining and 2324 (79.3%) completed post-training surveys. The 6-month survey was sent to the 645 attendees from the first 14 programs; 297 (46.1%) responded. Comparison of pre-post responses indicated significant gains in comfort managing all 19 content areas. Six-month data showed some degradation, but comfort remained significantly improved from baseline. At 6 months, participants also reported increases in providing care to women, including performing more breast and pelvic examinations, dissemination of program content to colleagues, and progress on action plans. Conclusions: This interactive program appears to have been successful in improving PCPs' comfort in providing care for women Veterans and empowering them to implement institutional change.

Risk factors for hot flashes in midlife women.

OBJECTIVE: To review the scientific literature pertaining to potential risk factors for hot flashes in midlife women. METHODS: Scientific publications reporting on risk factors for hot flashes were identified through a systematic Medline search and are summarized in this review paper. RESULTS: Although few studies have investigated risk factors for hot flashes in midlife women, consistent evidence suggests that smoking is associated with an increased risk for hot flashes. In addition, some studies suggest that other factors, such as hormone levels, body size, tubal ligation, surgical menopause, and race/ethnicity, may be associated with the occurrence of hot flashes. CONCLUSIONS: Future studies are needed to confirm previous findings and to identify additional risk factors for hot flashes. Such studies will increase our understanding of the etiology of hot flashes and may lead to better treatments and preventive measures for this condition.

Smoking, body mass, and hot flashes in midlife women.

OBJECTIVES: To assess whether lifestyle factors, specifically smoking and body mass index (BMI), are associated with the occurrence of any, moderate to severe, or daily hot flashes. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among women aged 40-60 years residing in the Baltimore metropolitan area who reported their history of hot flashes through a mailed survey. Logistic regression was used to assess the associations between smoking and BMI with any, moderate to severe, and daily hot flashes. RESULTS: Of the 1,087 women included in the study, 56% reported having hot flashes. Compared with never-smokers, current smokers were at an increased risk for both moderate to severe hot flashes (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3, 2.9) and daily hot flashes (adjusted OR = 2.2, 95% CI 1.4, 3.7). Among current smokers, risk for hot flashes increased with greater amount smoked. High BMI (more than 30 kg/m(2)) was associated with an increased risk for moderate to severe hot flashes compared with low BMI (less than 24.9 kg/m(2)) (adjusted OR = 2.1, 95% CI 1.5, 3.0). An increased risk for any or daily hot flashes with high BMI was present only among premenopausal or perimenopausal women. CONCLUSION: Potentially modifiable factors, such as current smoking and high BMI, may predispose a woman to more severe or frequent hot flashes. This information may be valuable for identifying women at risk for hot flashes and for developing appropriate prevention strategies that may include lifestyle modifications.