Lynnette Leidy Sievert, BSN, PhD
Department of Anthropology
Machmer Hall, 240 Hicks Way

University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Amherst, MA 01003-9278
413 545-1379
leidy@anthro.umass.edu

EDUCATION:

1/88-5/91 State University of New York at Albany
PhD in Biological Anthropology

9/86-12/87 State University of New York at Albany
MA in Anthropology

9/84-8/85 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
18 credits graduate study in Anthropology, Research in Almeria, Spain

9/80-12/83 Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA
BSN Double major in Nursing and Spanish, Nursing experience in Mexico

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:

Book:

(2006) Sievert LL. Menopause: A Biocultural Perspective. Rutgers University Press.

Articles:

(2014) Sievert LL. Menopause across cultures: clinical considerations. NAMS Practice Pearl. Menopause [e-pub ahead of print]

(2013) Morrison LA, Brown DE, Sievert LL , Reza A, Rahberg N, Mills P, Goodloe A. Voices from the Hilo Women's Health Study: talking story about menopause. Health Care for Women International 00:1–20.

(2013) Sievert LL, Murphy L, Morrison LA, Reza AM, Brown DE. Age at menopause and determinants of hysterectomy and menopause in a multi-ethnic community: The Hilo Women's Health Study. Maturitas 76(4):334-341.

(2013) Sievert LL. Subjective and objective measures of hot flashes. Am J Human Bio 25(5):573-580.

(2013) Sievert LL, Bertone-Johnson E. Perimenstrual symptoms and symptoms at midlife in Puebla, Mexico. Climacteric 16(1):169-178.

(2013) Sharmeen T, Sievert LL , Begum K, Chowdhury O, Muttukrishna S, Bentley GR. Symptoms at midlife, family structure, and household workloads in Sylhet, Bangladesh . Anthropological Review 76(2):199-216.

(2013) Murphy L, Sievert LL , Begum K, Sharmeen T, Chowdhury O, Muttukrishna S, Bentley GR. Life course effects on age at menopause among Bangladeshi sedentees and migrants to the UK. Am J Human Biology 25(1):83-93.

(2013) Pérez-Alcalá I, Sievert LL , Obermeyer CM, Reher DS. Cross-cultural analysis of factors associated with age at natural menopause among Latin-American immigrants to Madrid and their Spanish neighbors. Am J Human Bio 25(6):780-788.

(2013) Pérez-Alcala I, Sievert LL , Obermeyer CM, Reher D. Cross-cultural analysis of determinants of hot flashes and night sweats: Latin-American immigrants to Madrid and their Spanish neighbors. Menopause , 20(11):1111-1119. [related editorial 20(11):1107-1108]

(2012) Sievert LL, Obermeyer CM. Symptom clusters at midlife: A four-country comparison of checklist and qualitative responses. Menopause 19(2):133-144. [related editorial 19(2):121-122]

(2012) Reza A, Sievert LL, Rahberg N, Morrison L, Brown DE. Prevalence and determinants of headaches in Hawaii: The Hilo Women's Health Study. Annals of Human Bio 39(4):305-314.

(2011) Sievert LL. The evolution of post-reproductive life: adaptationist scenarios. In: Mascie-Taylor CGN, Rosetta L. (Eds.) Reproduction and Adaptation: Topics in Human Reproductive Ecology , Cambridge University Press, pp.149-170.

(2011) Melby MK, Sievert LL, Anderson D, Obermeyer CM. Overview of methods used in cross-cultural comparisons of menopausal symptoms and their determinants: Guidelines for Strengthening the Reporting of Menopause and Aging (STROMA) Studies. Maturitas, 70:99-109.

(2011) Sievert LL, Anderson D, Melby MK, Obermeyer CM. Methods used in cross-cultural comparisons of somatic symptoms and their determinants. Maturitas, 70:127-134.

(2011) Melby MK, Anderson D, Sievert LL, Obermeyer CM. Methods used in cross-cultural comparisons of vasomotor symptoms and their determinants. Maturitas, 70:110-119.

(2011) Anderson D, Melby MK, Sievert LL, Obermeyer CM. Methods used in cross-cultural comparisons of psychological symptoms and their determinants. Maturitas, 70:120-126.

(2011) Anderson D, Sievert LL, Melby MK, Obermeyer CM. Methods used in cross-cultural comparisons of sexual symptoms and their determinants. Maturitas, 70:135-140.

(2011) Rudzik A, Leonard SH, Sievert LL. Determinants of tubal ligation in Puebla, Mexico. Women and Health, 51(4):365-82.

(2011) Brown DE, Sievert LL, Morrison LA, Rahberg N, Reza A. Relationship between hot flashes and ambulatory blood pressure: The Hilo Women's Health Study. Psychosomatic Medicine 73(2):166-172.

(2010) Sievert LL, Reza A, Mills P, Morrison L, Rahberg N, Goodloe A, Sutherland M, Brown DE. Diurnal rhythm and concordance between objective and subjective hot flashes: The Hilo Women's Health Study. Menopause 17(3):471-479. [related editorial 17(3):450-451]

(2010) Morrison L, Sievert LL, Rahberg N, Reza A, Brown DE. Relationships between menstrual and menopausal attitudes and associated demographic and health characteristics: The Hilo Women's Health Study. Women and Health 50(5):397-413.

(2009) Brown DE, Sievert LL, Morrison LA, Reza AM, Mills PS. Do Japanese American women really have fewer hot flashes than European Americans? The Hilo Women's Health Study. Menopause 16(5):870-876. [related editorial 16(5):846-847]

(2008) Sievert LL, Begum K, Sharmeen T, Chowdhury O, Muttukrishna S, Bentley G. Patterns of occurrence and concordance between subjective and objective hot flashes among Muslim and Hindu women in Sylhet, Bangladesh. Am J Human Biology 20:598-604.

(2008) Sievert LL. Should women menstruate? An evolutionary perspective on menstrual suppressing oral contraceptives. In: Trevathan WR, Smith EO, McKenna JJ. (Eds.) New Perspectives in Evolutionary Medicine, Oxford University Press, pp.181-195.

(2008) Sievert LL, Saliba M, Reher D, Sahel A, Hoyer D, Deeb M, Obermeyer CM. The medical management of menopause: A four country comparison of urban care. Maturitas, 59:7-21.

(2007) Sievert LL, Morrison LA, Reza AM, Brown DE, Kalua E, Tefft HAT. Age-related differences in health complaints: The Hilo Women’s Health Study. Women and Health, 45(3):31-51.

(2007) Sievert LL, Morrison L, Brown, D, Reza A. Vasomotor symptoms among Japanese and European-American women living in Hilo, Hawaii. Menopause, 13(2):163-172.

(2007) Gerber LM, Sievert LL, Warren K, Pickering TG, Schwartz JE. Hot flashes are associated with increased ambulatory systolic blood pressure. Menopause, 14(2):308-315.

(2007) Obermeyer CM, Sievert LL. Cross-cultural comparisons: midlife, aging, and menopause. Menopause, 14(4):663-667.

(2007) Sievert LL, Obermeyer CM, Saliba M. Symptom groupings at midlife: cross-cultural variation and association with job, home, and life change. Menopause, 14(4):798-807.

(2007) Sievert LL. Variation in sweating patterns: implications for studies of hot flashes through skin conductance. Menopause, 14(4):742-751.

(2006) Sievert LL, Obermeyer CM, Price K. Determinants of hot flashes and night sweats. Annals of Human Biology, 33(1):4-16.

(2005) Sievert LL. Recalling age at menopause [Editorial]. Menopause,12(3):248-249.

(2005) Sievert LL, Flanagan EK. Geographical distribution of hot flash frequencies: considering climatic influences. Am J Physical Anthro 128:437-443.

(2005) Sievert LL, Goode-Null S. Musculoskeletal pain among women of menopausal age in Puebla, Mexico. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology 20(2):127-140.

(2005) Sievert LL, DuBois C. Validating signals of ovulation: do women who think they know really know? Am J Human Biology, 17:310-320.

(2004) Obermeyer CM, Schulein M, Hardon A, Sievert LL, Price K, Santiago AC, Lazcano O, Kirumira EK, Neuman M. Gender and medication use: an exploratory, multi-site study. Women and Health. 39(4):57-73.

(2004) James GD, Sievert LL, Flanagan E. Ambulatory blood pressure and heart rate in relation to hot flash experience among women of menopausal age. Annals of Human Biology, 31(1):49-58.

(2004) Sievert LL, Vidovic M, Horak H, Abel M. Age and symptom experience at menopause in the Selška Valley, Slovenia. Menopause 11(2): 223-227.

(2003) Leidy Sievert L. El envejecimiento reproductivo: la menopausia en Puebla, México. Estudios de Antropología Biológica. 11:91-112.

(2003) Sievert LL, Espinosa-Hernandez G. Attitudes toward menopause in relation to symptom experience in Puebla, Mexico. Women and Health, 38(2):93-106.

(2003) Sievert LL. The medicalization of female fertility: points of significance for the study of menopause. Collegium Anthropologicum 27(1):67-78.

(2003) Mueller KA, Jimenez Zeron Sanchez G, Leidy Sievert L. Sources of information and HRT prescribing practices among gynecologists in Puebla, Mexico. Maturitas 45:137-144.

(2003) Hautaniemi SI, Leidy Sievert L. Risk factors for hysterectomy among Mexican American women in the US Southwest. Am J Human Biology, 15:38-47.

(2003) Sievert, LL and Hautaniemi SI. Age at menopause in Puebla, Mexico. Human Biology, 75(2): 205-226.

(2003) Leidy Sievert L. Monitored growth: anthropometrics and health history records at a private New England middle school, 1935-1960. In: Herring A, Swedlund A (Eds.) Human Biologists in the Archives. Cambridge University Press, pp.130-158.

(2002) Sievert LL, Freedman RR, Zarain Garcia J, Foster JL, Romano MC, Longcope C, Franz C. Measurement of hot flashes by sternal skin conductance and subjective hot flash report in Puebla, Mexico. Menopause, 9(5):367-376.

(2001) Leidy Sievert, L. Menopause as a measure of population health: an overview. Am J Human Biology,13:429-433.

(2001) Leidy Sievert L, Waddle D, Canali K. Marital status and age at natural menopause: considering pheromonal influence. Am J Human Biology,13:479-485.

(2001) Brown DE, Leidy Sievert L, Aki SL, Mills PS, Etrata MB, Kohagura RN, James GD. The effects of age, ethnicity and menopause on ambulatory blood pressure: Japanese-American and Caucasian school teachers in Hawaii. Am J Human Biology, 13:486-493.

(2001) Leidy Sievert, L. Aging and reproductive senescence. In: Ellison P (Ed.) Reproductive Ecology and Human Evolution. Hawthorne, New York: Aldine de Gruyter, pp.267-292.

(2000) Leidy L, Canali C, Callahan W. The medicalization of menopause: implications for recruitment of study participants. Menopause, 7(3):193-199.

(1999) Leidy, L. The effect of exclusion: rates of hysterectomy and comparisons of age at natural menopause. Am J Human Biology, 11(5):687-693.

(1999) Leidy, L. Menopause in evolutionary perspective. In: Trevathan WR, McKenna JJ, Smith EO (Eds.) Evolutionary Medicine. Oxford University Press, pp.407-427.

(1998) Leidy, L. Urinary LH level and hot flash frequency: a preliminary report. Antropologia Portuguesa,15:77-89.

(1998) Leidy L, Godfrey L, Sutherland M. Is follicular atresia biphasic? Fertility and Sterility, 70(5):851-859.

(1998) Leidy L. Menarche, menopause, and migration: implications for breast cancer research. Am J Human Biology, 10(4):451-7.

(1997) Leidy, L. Menopausal symptoms and everyday complaints. Menopause. 4(3):154-60.

(1996) Leidy, L. The lifespan approach to the study of human biology: an introduction. Am J Human Biology, 8(6):699-702.

(1996) Leidy, L. The timing of menopause in relation to body size and weight change. Human Biology, 68(6):997-1012.

(1996) Leidy, L. Symptoms of menopause in relation to the timing of reproductive events and past menstrual experience. Am J Human Biology, 8(6):761-769.

(1996) Leidy, L. R.V. Pierce and the Invalids' Hotel: mechanical progress and the business of medicine. In: Sentz L (Ed.) Medical History in Buffalo 1846-1996: Collected Essays. Buffalo, NY: State University of New York at Buffalo, pp.71-92.

(1994) Leidy, L. Biological aspects of menopause: across the lifespan. Annual Review of Anthropology, 23:231-53.

(1994) Leidy, L. The possible role of the pessary in the etiology of toxic shock. Med Anthro Quarterly, 8(2):198-208.

(1993) Leidy, L. The practice of terminal abstinence in Nigeria and Cameroon. Am J Human Biology, 5(5):565-573.

(1990) Leidy, L. Early age at menopause among left-handed women. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 76(6):1111-1114.

GRANTS:

2012-2015 NSF Grant #BCS-1156368 "Variation in symptoms at midlife: ethnic and rural/urban comparisons" with Laura Huicochea, co-PI, and Daniel E. Brown, co-PI.

2011-2012 Center for Research on Families, UMass Amherst, Undergraduate Student Research Assistantship in Family Research. "Do breast feeding women experience hot flashes?" with Amanda Otto.

2006-2009 NSF Grant #0548393 “Reproductive aging and symptom experience at midlife among Bangladeshi immigrants, sedentees, and white London neighbors” with Gillian Bentley, co-PI, and Shanthi Muttukrishna, co-PI.

2005-2006 subcontract, NIH NCAM 1R43AT003170-01 “Miniaturized, wearable skin conductance monitor” Linda Templeman, PI

2005-2006 subcontract, NIH R01 AG017578-05 “Therapeutic decisions at menopause: a multi site study” Carla M. Obermeyer, PI

2004-2008 Consultant, NIH (MBRS) “Menopause, symptoms, blood pressure and health risk in Hawaii’s multiethnic population” Dan Brown, PI.

2003 AAAS and Women’s International Science Collaboration Program. Travel grant for collaborative work with Mario Carlos Gonzalez on menopause among two ethnic groups in Paraguay.

2003 UMass Amherst Faculty Research Grant, “Age at menopause among the Ache and Maka of Paraguay”

2002 Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research. "Do women who think they know really know? Validating signals of ovulation"

2001 World Health Organization. "Women's use of medication: identifying patterns and problematic use, Mexico" with Olga Lazcano Ponce, co-PI.

2001 World Health Organization. "Women's use of medication: identifying patterns and problematic use, Massachusetts" with Douglas L. Anderton, co-PI.

1998-2001 NSF Grant # 9805299 "Age and symptom experience at menopause in Puebla, Mexico"

1999 Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research. "Revisiting the doctor's office: has the medicalization of menopause changed the rules?"

1994 UMASS at Amherst Faculty Seed Grant. The timing and experience of menopause in the Connecticut Valley, Mass.

HONORS

2012 Institute for Advanced Study Fellowship, Durham University, UK, May 1-31.

2010-2011 Samuel F. Conti Faculty Fellowship for Excellence in Research, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

2010 UMass Amherst Faculty Convocation Award for Outstanding Accomplishments in Research and Creative Activity.

2009 Elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

2008 Vasomotor Symptoms Research Award. North American Menopause Society and Duramed.

2008-2009 Family Research Scholar in the Center for Research on Families, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

2007 College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Outstanding Teacher Award, University of Massachusetts Amherst

2004-2005 Family Research Scholar in the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Families, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

2003-2004 TEACHnology Fellowship, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

1999 Young Investigator Award. North American Menopause Society.

1999 College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Outstanding Teacher Award, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

1999 Honors Appreciation Award for outstanding service to the University of Massachusetts Honors Program.

1996 Young Investigator Award. North American Menopause Society.

1991 Presidential Distinguished Doctoral Dissertation Award University at Albany, State University of New York

FIELD EXPERIENCE

2012-2015. Campeche, Mexico. Supervising and participating in collection of data to assess objective and subjective hot flash experience among rural and urban Mayan women compared with rural and urban Mestizo women in the state and city of Campeche. In collaboration with Laura Huicochea and Dan Brown.

2006-2009. London, UK and Sylhet, Bangladesh. Study of variation in age at menopause, symptom experience, and hormone levels among Bangladeshi immigrants in London, their white London neighbors, and Bangladeshis living in Sylhet, Bangladesh. Fieldwork in Bangladesh, Spring, 2007. Co-PI with Gillian Bentley and Shanthi Muttukrishna.

2004-2008. Hilo, Hawaii. Multi-disciplinary study of health in women of menopausal age. Cross-sectional, random postal survey (n=1814) and clinical studies (n=200). In collaboration with Dan Brown (PI) and Lynn Morrison.

summer 2004. Puebla, Mexico. Study of heat flow during hot flashes using sternal and nuchal skin conductance as well as diagrams of female figures.

summer 2003. Asunción and Mbaracayu, Paraguay. Study of age at menopause and symptom experience among the Ache and Maka, and among Paraguayan women in Asuncion, Paraguay. Survey research, anthropometry, FSH and estradiol levels, in collaboration with Mario Carlos Gonzales and A. Magdalena Hurtado.

summer 2002. Selška Valley, Slovenia. Study of age at menopause, symptom experience, and treatment choices in four mountain and two valley villages. Collaborative work with Maruška Vidovic, Institute of Public Health of the Republic of Slovenia.

summer 2001. Western Massachusetts. Pilot study of ambulatory blood pressure and menopausal symptoms. Collaborative work with Gary James, Binghamton University.

1995-2000. 6 summers, 2 January terms. Puebla, Mexico. Age at menopause, symptom experience, and treatment choices. Collaborative work with two menopause clinics and University of the Americas, Puebla. Clinical measurement of hot flashes using sternal skin conductance.

1995-2001. Western Massachusetts. Age and symptom experience at menopause. Anthropometric measures, urine testing for LH, survey data collected from women ages 40-60. Breast Health Project participants, exercise groups, school districts, community groups, shopping mall.
Comparison project with patients from a doctor's office. Longitudinal telephone follow up.

1989-1990 Greene County, NY. Age and symptom experience at menopause. Anthropometric measures and survey data collected from women, ages 40-65, in 5 school districts, county medical center, county offices, a factory, churches, garden and quilting clubs and other community organizations.