Reasons women do not seek health care for dysmenorrhea

Chen X Chen, Carol Shieh, Claire B Draucker, Janet S Carpenter, Chen X Chen, Carol Shieh, Claire B Draucker, Janet S Carpenter

Abstract

Aims and objectives: To identify and describe reasons women do not seek health care for dysmenorrhea symptoms.

Background: Although dysmenorrhea is highly prevalent among women, can cause significant disruptions in their daily lives, and may increase their risk for future chronic pain conditions, few women seek health care for dysmenorrhea. A better understanding of why women do not seek health care is necessary to develop strategies that facilitate care seeking and optimal symptom management.

Design: A qualitative descriptive design was used to guide the study and summarise text responses to an open-ended survey question.

Methods: Participants in an online survey study who had not sought health care for dysmenorrhea (N = 509) were asked to write about their reasons for not seeking care. Data were collected in January and February 2015. Participants' text responses were analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Results: Nine categories of reasons were identified as follows: assuming symptoms are normal, preferring to self-manage symptoms, having limited resources, thinking providers would not offer help, being unaware of treatment options, considering symptoms to be tolerable, being wary of available treatments, feeling embarrassed or afraid to seek care and not seeking health care generally.

Conclusions: Findings can guide the development of strategies to promote care seeking and inform policy and clinical practice to improve dysmenorrhea management.

Relevance to clinical practice: Findings underscore the need to provide routine screening for dysmenorrhea, avoid dismissing dysmenorrhea symptoms, initiate discussions and provide education about dysmenorrhea, provide treatments options based on evidence and women's preferences and raise public awareness of dysmenorrhea and its impact.

Keywords: dysmenorrhea; health care-seeking behaviour; pain management; qualitative research; women's health.

© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Reasons for Not Seeking Health Care and Implications for Clinical Practice and Health Care Policy

References

    1. Altman G, Cain KC, Motzer S, Jarrett M, Burr R, Heitkemper M. Increased symptoms in female IBS patients with dysmenorrhea and PMS. Gastroenterology Nursing. 2006;29(1):4–11. doi: 10.1097/00001610-200601000-00002.
    1. Banikarim C, Chacko MR, Kelder SH. Prevalence and impact of dysmenorrhea on Hispanic female adolescents. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. 2000;154(12):1226–1229.
    1. Berkley KJ. Primary dysmenorrhea: An urgent mandate. Pain: Clinical Updates. 2013;21(3):1–7.
    1. Busch CM, Costa PT, Jr, Whitehead WE, Heller BR. Severe perimenstrual symptoms: prevalence and effects on absenteeism and health care seeking in a non-clinical sample. Women & Health. 1988;14(1):59–74. doi: 10.1300/J013v14n01_05.
    1. Chan SSC, Yiu KW, Yuen PM, Sahota DS, Chung TKH. Menstrual problems and health-seeking behaviour in Hong Kong Chinese girls. Hong Kong Medical Journal = Xianggang Yi Xue Za Zhi/Hong Kong Academy Of Medicine. 2009;15(1):18–23.
    1. Chen CX, Kwekkeboom KL, Ward SE. Beliefs about dysmenorrhea and their relationship to self-management. Research in Nursing & Health. 2016;39(4):263–276. doi: 10.1002/nur.21726.
    1. Chiu MH, Wang HH, Hsu SC, Liu IP. Dysmenorrhoea and self-care behaviours among hospital nurses: a questionnaire survey. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 2013;22(21–22):3130–3140. doi: 10.1111/jocn.12240.
    1. Davis L, Kennedy SS, Moore J, Prentice A. Oral contraceptives for pain associated with endometriosis. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2007;(3):Cd001019. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD001019.pub2.
    1. Giamberardino MA. Women and visceral pain: are the reproductive organs the main protagonists? Mini-review at the occasion of the “European Week Against Pain in Women 2007”. European Journal of Pain. 2008;12(3):257–260. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpain.2007.11.007.
    1. Hewison A, van den Akker OB. Dysmenorrhoea, menstrual attitude and GP consultation. British Uournal of Nursing (Mark Allen Publishing) 1996;5(8):480–484. doi: 10.12968/bjon.1996.5.8.480.
    1. Iacovides S, Avidon I, Baker FC. What we know about primary dysmenorrhea today: a critical review. Human Reproduction Update. 2015;21(6):762–778. doi: 10.1093/humupd/dmv039.
    1. International Association for the Study of Pain(IASP)Taxonomy Working Group. Classification of Chronic Pain. 2011 Retrieved from .
    1. Johnson J. Level of knowledge among adolescent girls regarding effective treatment for dysmenorrhea. Journal of Adolescent Health Care: Official Publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine. 1988;9(5):398–402.
    1. Miles MB, Huberman AM, Saldaña J. Qualitative data analysis: a methods sourcebook. 3rd. Thousands Oak, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc; 2013.
    1. Nwankwo TO, Aniebue UU, Aniebue PN. Menstrual disorders in adolescent school girls in Enugu, Nigeria. Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. 2010;23(6):358–363. doi: 10.1016/j.jpag.2010.04.001.
    1. O’Connell K, Davis AR, Westhoff C. Self-treatment patterns among adolescent girls with dysmenorrhea. Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. 2006;19(4):285–289. doi: 10.1016/j.jpag.2006.05.004.
    1. Olafsdottir LB, Gudjonsson H, Jonsdottir HH, Björnsson E, Thjodleifsson B. Natural history of irritable bowel syndrome in women and dysmenorrhea: a 10-year follow-up study. Gastroenterology Research and Practice. 2012;2012:1–7. doi: 10.1155/2012/534204.
    1. Sandelowski M. Whatever happened to qualitative description? Research in Nursing & Health. 2000;23(4):334–340. doi: 10.1002/1098-240X(200008)23:4<334::AID-NUR9>;2-G.
    1. Tanaka E, Momoeda M, Osuga Y, Rossi B, Nomoto K, Hayakawa M, Wang EC. Burden of menstrual symptoms in Japanese women - an analysis of medical care-seeking behavior from a survey-based study. International Journal of Women’s Health. 2013;6:11–23. doi: 10.2147/IJWH.S52429.
    1. Thompson ML, Gick ML. Medical care-seeking for menstrual symptoms. Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 2000;49(2):137–140.
    1. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division. Demographic challenges and opportunities for sustainable development planning. 2015 Retrieved from .
    1. Vincent K, Warnaby C, Stagg CJ, Moore J, Kennedy S, Tracey I. Dysmenorrhoea is associated with central changes in otherwise healthy women. Pain. 2011;152(9):1966–1975. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2011.03.029.
    1. White PA, Wildman BG. Factors related to medical help-seeking in women with menstrual discomfort. Behaviour Research and Therapy. 1986;24(4):471–474.
    1. Wong LP. Premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea: urban-rural and multiethnic differences in perception, impacts, and treatment seeking. Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. 2011;24(5):272–277. doi: 10.1016/j.jpag.2011.03.009.

Source: PubMed

Sponsorer og samarbeidspartnere

Medisinsk tilstand

Legemiddelintervensjoner

3
Abonnere