The educational and pain management needs of young individuals in the UK and Ireland with primary or secondary dysmenorrhea

Painful periods affect up to 95% of people who menstruate and typically begin in early
adolescence. Despite how common painful periods are, there is little support for young
people to understand and manage pain, leading to several concerns. Firstly, severe
period pain frequently causes young people to miss days at school/university, leading
to missed educational opportunities and poorer academic performance. Secondly,
though most people who menstruate experience some 'period pain', adolescents in
the UK and Ireland currently receive little education on what period pain potentially
means for their health. For example, most students in the UK are unfamiliar with
endometriosis, though estimates suggest that about 10% of the population have this
condition. Finally, we know that beliefs about an illness influence its management.
Period stigma may mean that people with pain do not seek help from doctors, as many
may worry that period pain is not a valid health complaint.
This project will identify what gaps in (i) information and (ii) support young individuals
face that may affect their understanding and management of period pain. I propose
using three studies, including a review of current menstrual education needs, an
analysis of (i) how informed young students in the UK and Ireland are of their menstrual
health and (ii) stakeholders' views of menstrual information needs for young people.
These studies will create a critical evidence-base for this understudied and stigmatised
area in society, with a view to informing future educational initiatives for menstrual
health.