Understanding factors related to healthcare avoidance for menstrual disorders and menopausal symptoms: A cross-sectional study among women in Japan
This study explored the factors associated with healthcare avoidance behavior for menstrual disorders and menopausal symptoms among women in Japan. Using data from a nationally representative cross-sectional online survey conducted in September 2022, responses from 4,950 women aged 25–59 were analyz...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | Preventive Medicine Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335523003583 |
| _version_ | 1797657911857512448 |
|---|---|
| author | Manae Uchibori Akifumi Eguchi Cyrus Ghaznavi Yuta Tanoue Mami Ueta Miho Sassa Shu Suzuki Sayaka Honda Yukiko Kawata Miho Iida Haruka Sakamoto Shuhei Nomura |
| author_facet | Manae Uchibori Akifumi Eguchi Cyrus Ghaznavi Yuta Tanoue Mami Ueta Miho Sassa Shu Suzuki Sayaka Honda Yukiko Kawata Miho Iida Haruka Sakamoto Shuhei Nomura |
| author_sort | Manae Uchibori |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study explored the factors associated with healthcare avoidance behavior for menstrual disorders and menopausal symptoms among women in Japan. Using data from a nationally representative cross-sectional online survey conducted in September 2022, responses from 4,950 women aged 25–59 were analyzed. This study applied binomial logistic regression models specifically to participants who reported having ever felt the need to seek healthcare assistance due to health issues related to menstruation and menopause. We computed adjusted odds ratios for key sociodemographic traits, work environment factors, health literacy, menstrual and menopausal symptoms, and attitudes and understanding regarding women’s health, associated with healthcare avoidance behavior in the past 12 months. As a sensitivity analysis, a regression was performed limited to those who are working. The results showed that 50.6% of respondents recognized the need for healthcare support for menstrual or menopausal health issues, but 22.8% exhibited healthcare avoidance in the past year. Younger and high-income individuals showed higher avoidance rates. Those with diagnosed gynecological conditions and those perceiving menstrual pain as something to endure also displayed increased avoidance tendencies. Women experiencing significant health effects beyond work and those lacking understanding of the purpose of health check-ups were more prone to healthcare avoidance. Our results underscore the importance of implementing strategically tailored health education initiatives, and re-examining societal attitudes concerning women's health, in order to cultivate enhanced healthcare-seeking behaviors among women. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T17:51:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d31eb45b20454484838317de6979aaa0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2211-3355 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T17:51:22Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Preventive Medicine Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-d31eb45b20454484838317de6979aaa02023-10-18T04:30:59ZengElsevierPreventive Medicine Reports2211-33552023-12-0136102467Understanding factors related to healthcare avoidance for menstrual disorders and menopausal symptoms: A cross-sectional study among women in JapanManae Uchibori0Akifumi Eguchi1Cyrus Ghaznavi2Yuta Tanoue3Mami Ueta4Miho Sassa5Shu Suzuki6Sayaka Honda7Yukiko Kawata8Miho Iida9Haruka Sakamoto10Shuhei Nomura11Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan; Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Health Policy and Management, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan; Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba, JapanDepartment of Health Policy and Management, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USADepartment of Health Policy and Management, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan; Faculty of Marine Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Global Health Policy, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Global Health Policy, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, JapanHealth and Global Policy Institute, Tokyo, JapanHealth and Global Policy Institute, Tokyo, Japan; General Internal Medicine, St Luke’s International Hospital, Tokyo, JapanHealth and Global Policy Institute, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, JapanTokyo Foundation for Policy Research, Tokyo, Japan; Health and Global Policy Institute, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Tokyo Women’s Medical University, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Health Policy and Management, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan; Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Global Health Policy, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Corresponding author at: Department of Health Policy and Management School of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.This study explored the factors associated with healthcare avoidance behavior for menstrual disorders and menopausal symptoms among women in Japan. Using data from a nationally representative cross-sectional online survey conducted in September 2022, responses from 4,950 women aged 25–59 were analyzed. This study applied binomial logistic regression models specifically to participants who reported having ever felt the need to seek healthcare assistance due to health issues related to menstruation and menopause. We computed adjusted odds ratios for key sociodemographic traits, work environment factors, health literacy, menstrual and menopausal symptoms, and attitudes and understanding regarding women’s health, associated with healthcare avoidance behavior in the past 12 months. As a sensitivity analysis, a regression was performed limited to those who are working. The results showed that 50.6% of respondents recognized the need for healthcare support for menstrual or menopausal health issues, but 22.8% exhibited healthcare avoidance in the past year. Younger and high-income individuals showed higher avoidance rates. Those with diagnosed gynecological conditions and those perceiving menstrual pain as something to endure also displayed increased avoidance tendencies. Women experiencing significant health effects beyond work and those lacking understanding of the purpose of health check-ups were more prone to healthcare avoidance. Our results underscore the importance of implementing strategically tailored health education initiatives, and re-examining societal attitudes concerning women's health, in order to cultivate enhanced healthcare-seeking behaviors among women.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335523003583Women’s healthHealthcare seeking behaviorHealthcare avoidance behaviorMenstrual disordersMenopausal symptoms |
| spellingShingle | Manae Uchibori Akifumi Eguchi Cyrus Ghaznavi Yuta Tanoue Mami Ueta Miho Sassa Shu Suzuki Sayaka Honda Yukiko Kawata Miho Iida Haruka Sakamoto Shuhei Nomura Understanding factors related to healthcare avoidance for menstrual disorders and menopausal symptoms: A cross-sectional study among women in Japan Preventive Medicine Reports Women’s health Healthcare seeking behavior Healthcare avoidance behavior Menstrual disorders Menopausal symptoms |
| title | Understanding factors related to healthcare avoidance for menstrual disorders and menopausal symptoms: A cross-sectional study among women in Japan |
| title_full | Understanding factors related to healthcare avoidance for menstrual disorders and menopausal symptoms: A cross-sectional study among women in Japan |
| title_fullStr | Understanding factors related to healthcare avoidance for menstrual disorders and menopausal symptoms: A cross-sectional study among women in Japan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding factors related to healthcare avoidance for menstrual disorders and menopausal symptoms: A cross-sectional study among women in Japan |
| title_short | Understanding factors related to healthcare avoidance for menstrual disorders and menopausal symptoms: A cross-sectional study among women in Japan |
| title_sort | understanding factors related to healthcare avoidance for menstrual disorders and menopausal symptoms a cross sectional study among women in japan |
| topic | Women’s health Healthcare seeking behavior Healthcare avoidance behavior Menstrual disorders Menopausal symptoms |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335523003583 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT manaeuchibori understandingfactorsrelatedtohealthcareavoidanceformenstrualdisordersandmenopausalsymptomsacrosssectionalstudyamongwomeninjapan AT akifumieguchi understandingfactorsrelatedtohealthcareavoidanceformenstrualdisordersandmenopausalsymptomsacrosssectionalstudyamongwomeninjapan AT cyrusghaznavi understandingfactorsrelatedtohealthcareavoidanceformenstrualdisordersandmenopausalsymptomsacrosssectionalstudyamongwomeninjapan AT yutatanoue understandingfactorsrelatedtohealthcareavoidanceformenstrualdisordersandmenopausalsymptomsacrosssectionalstudyamongwomeninjapan AT mamiueta understandingfactorsrelatedtohealthcareavoidanceformenstrualdisordersandmenopausalsymptomsacrosssectionalstudyamongwomeninjapan AT mihosassa understandingfactorsrelatedtohealthcareavoidanceformenstrualdisordersandmenopausalsymptomsacrosssectionalstudyamongwomeninjapan AT shusuzuki understandingfactorsrelatedtohealthcareavoidanceformenstrualdisordersandmenopausalsymptomsacrosssectionalstudyamongwomeninjapan AT sayakahonda understandingfactorsrelatedtohealthcareavoidanceformenstrualdisordersandmenopausalsymptomsacrosssectionalstudyamongwomeninjapan AT yukikokawata understandingfactorsrelatedtohealthcareavoidanceformenstrualdisordersandmenopausalsymptomsacrosssectionalstudyamongwomeninjapan AT mihoiida understandingfactorsrelatedtohealthcareavoidanceformenstrualdisordersandmenopausalsymptomsacrosssectionalstudyamongwomeninjapan AT harukasakamoto understandingfactorsrelatedtohealthcareavoidanceformenstrualdisordersandmenopausalsymptomsacrosssectionalstudyamongwomeninjapan AT shuheinomura understandingfactorsrelatedtohealthcareavoidanceformenstrualdisordersandmenopausalsymptomsacrosssectionalstudyamongwomeninjapan |