Patients’ Perspectives on Clinical Responses to Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Qualitative Analysis of Online Narratives

Abstract

Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is a leading cause of gynecological morbidity, but it is often accepted as a normal part of menstruation, and few women report PD or seek medical care. Using modified grounded theory, we examined the accounts of patients with PD via online narratives. Uncertainty and isolation emerged as extra-medical dimensions that worsened the experience of PD. Clinical encounters in which patients felt that their pain was dismissed or clinicians did not know much about PD may inadvertently exacerbate the experience of challenging menses. We found that people experiencing PD have an unmet need for social and emotional support and that clinicians have an opportunity to address the social dimensions of PD.

Keywords:

• Menstruation
• chronic pain
• psychosocial
• quality of life
• reproductive health

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the 2018 UCSF Summer Explore Grant.