Harvard RWJF Health & Society Scholar alumna Rebecca Thurston, PhD, is co-author of a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine that found that more than half of the women in the study who experienced frequent vasomotor symptoms (VMS) – which include hot flashes and night sweats – experienced these symptoms for more than 7 years. African American women reported the longest duration of symptoms, compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Women who experienced frequent symptoms early in premenopause or perimenopause, who also experienced greater negative affective factors, such as depressive symptoms and anxiety, had a higher chance of hot flashes spanning over an even longer duration. The study has received attention in newsworks.org.