Health Characteristics Associated With Hot Flashes in Women With HIV During Menopause: An Integrative Review

Hot flashes (HFs) are a prominent symptom of menopause known to unfavorably influence mood, sleep, and quality of life. More women living with HIV are entering menopause and may experience a greater prevalence of HFs and more severe HFs compared with uninfected women. This integrative review evaluated existing evidence on potential health characteristics associated with HFs in women living with HIV during menopause. A search strategy was conducted within 6 databases. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guided the review, and the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice model was used to evaluate methodological quality and appraisal of the evidence. Five articles met the review eligibility criteria. Three content categories emerged from the key findings of the 5 articles: HIV-specific characteristics, mental health and cognitive characteristics, and quality of life and social characteristics. Implications for research and clinical care were identified.