Exploring the Physical, Psychological and Social Needs of Adolescent Girls with Heavy Menstrual Bleeding and Pain
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Menstrual pain and heavy bleeding common in young women, can be chronic and debilitating and have significant impacts on the quality of life. In other chronic conditions, such as cancer, research has shown that quality of life can be improved by addressing unmet needs of patients. Yet, for young women with heavy menstrual bleeding and pain, their physical, psychological and social wellbeing needs have not been explored. The goal of this research is to identify areas of need so that interventions can be designed and delivered to improve the experience of these young women and their quality of life.
Chronic health conditions in children and adolescents affect not only the patients, but their parents and caregivers. Parents, in particular mothers, report concerns about whether their daughter’s experiences of heavy menstrual bleeding and severe menstrual pain are symptoms of endometriosis and have fears about missed and/or delayed diagnosis. Parental anxiety has been found to be a significant predictor of daughter’s health related quality of life. As these concerns may have an impact on interactions with their daughters, this study will also explore the needs of parents/guardians and how they can be supported to manage their concerns. Working Party: Dr Yasmin Jayasinghe (Royal Women’s Hospital), Dr Michelle Peate (University of Melbourne), Dr Jennifer Marino (University of Melbourne), Dr Jane Girling (University of Otago), Prof Sonia Grover (The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne), Ms Anna Li (University of Melbourne), Ms Emily Bellis (University of Melbourne). |
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