Comparing Dysmenorrhea Beliefs and Self-Management Techniques Across Symptom-Based Phenotypes

Abstract

Objectives: To compare beliefs about dysmenorrhea and self-management techniques across three dysmenorrhea symptom-based phenotypes.

Background: Many reproductive-age women experience dysmenorrhea, with varying symptoms and intensity. Dysmenorrhea symptom-based phenotypes have been identified in previous research, defining distinctive phenotypes of mild localised pain, severe localised pain, and multiple severe symptoms. It is unknown if women from different phenotypes hold different beliefs about dysmenorrhea or if they engage in different self-management techniques.

Design: Quantitative secondary analysis of cross-sectional survey data.

Methods: This online study surveyed 762 women with dysmenorrhea in the United States. Participants reported their dysmenorrhea symptom intensity, beliefs about dysmenorrhea (i.e. beliefs about consequences, timeline, controllability, symptom severity, normalcy, emotional response to symptoms and treatments) and self-management techniques to prevent or treat symptoms. Beliefs regarding dysmenorrhea and types of self-management techniques used were compared across three phenotypes utilising ANOVA tests and Tukey's HSD for pairwise comparisons. Reporting followed the STROBE guidelines.

Results: Women with multiple severe symptoms had significantly more negative beliefs regarding dysmenorrhea and utilised significantly more self-management techniques than women with severe localised pain and women with mild localised pain. Women with severe localised pain had significantly more negative beliefs regarding dysmenorrhea and utilised significantly more self-management techniques than women with mild localised pain. Negative beliefs regarding dysmenorrhea included: consequences of dysmenorrhea, timeline of symptoms, personal and treatment control, symptom severity, normalcy of symptoms, emotional response to symptoms and willingness to utilise complementary medicine.

Conclusion: Results further support the distinction between dysmenorrhea symptom-based phenotypes. Not only do women in different phenotypes experience different severity and number of dysmenorrhea symptoms, they also perceive and manage their dysmenorrhea differently.

Relevance to clinical practice: These findings have implications for tailoring interventions to different dysmenorrhea symptom-based phenotypes.