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Menstrual symptoms, attitudes and consulting behaviour.
Social Science & Medicine (1982)
|January 1, 1985
Summary
Many women experience common menstrual symptoms but rarely seek medical advice. This study explores symptom prevalence, severity, and women
Area of Science:
- Gynecology
- Women's Health
- Public Health
Background:
- Menstrual symptoms are highly prevalent yet underreported in clinical settings.
- Understanding the factors influencing consultation behavior for menstrual issues is crucial for improving women's healthcare access.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence, characteristics, and severity of menstrual symptoms in a community sample.
- To develop a typology of women's attitudes toward menstruation.
- To create a typology of non-consulters based on symptom distress and attitudes.
Main Methods:
- Community-based survey of 79 women aged 16-44.
- Assessment of menstrual symptom prevalence, nature, and severity.
- Development of typologies for attitudes and consultation behavior.
Main Results:
- Identified a significant gap between symptom experience and medical consultation rates.
- Characterized diverse women's attitudes towards menstruation.
- Established a typology linking symptom distress and attitudes to non-consultation patterns.
Conclusions:
- Women's attitudes and symptom distress levels significantly influence decisions to seek medical help for menstrual problems.
- Further research is needed to address barriers to care and promote timely consultations for menstrual health.