Asians less likely to experience hot flashes

More than half of middle-aged women who still have regular menstrual cycles have hot flashes, a new study has found. But there are marked statistical differences by ethnic groups, according to the report in the online edition of Menopause, the journal of the North American Menopause Society.

The survey was conducted by researchers at Group Health and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle on a diverse group of 1,500 women, including Hawaiians/Pacific islanders, Vietnamese, Filipinos, Japanese, East Indians, Chinese, blacks and whites, who were 45 to 56 years old, with regular cycles and no skipped periods. They were not taking hormones.

The groups with the highest proportions reporting hot flashes or night sweats were Native American (67 percent) and black (61 percent) women. Next came whites at 58 percent and Hawaiians/Pacific islanders at 45.5 percent.

Asian and Hispanic women were much less likely to have these symptoms. Of Asian women, only 31 percent of Filipino, 26 percent of Japanese, 25 percent of East Indian, 23 percent of other Asian and 18 percent of Chinese women had the symptoms.

The study was funded by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., which is developing S-Equol, a compound that may mimic estrogen and could be a potential treatment for menopausal symptoms.

2 bills aimed at halting human trafficking

Gov. Neil Abercrombie plans to sign two bills designed to prevent human trafficking.

Abercrombie’s office says the governor will sign a bill that puts children who are victims of sex and labor trafficking within the scope of the Child Protective Act. The bill also declares January as Human Trafficking Awareness month.

Another bill to be signed Monday requires certain employers to display posters that provide information related to human trafficking.

The posters will be required in massage parlors, establishments that provide nude dancers and some businesses with liquor licenses.

Fire destroys family’s home

A Kapaa family was left homeless Saturday after a fire destroyed their single-family home in a rural area, but no one was hurt.

One man was home at the time but escaped unharmed, said Sarah Blane, Kauai County spokeswoman.

A Kauai County Fire Department helicopter and firefighters from three stations responded to the 11:20 a.m. fire on Waipouli Road. Ground crews were at the scene within 10 minutes, but the home was already fully engulfed in flames, Kauai County said in a news release.

The fire was brought under control shortly after noon and was extinguished at 3 p.m. A cause and damage estimate had not yet been determined Saturday.

Road project gets under way

A blessing and groundbreaking ceremony was held Friday for the $7.8 million first phase of Kona’s Laaloa Avenue extension project, creating another mauka-makai connector road.

The 1,900-foot extension, complete with sidewalks and bicycle lanes, will connect Alii Drive with Kuakini Highway mauka. Completion is set for mid-2014.