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

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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.