Apreciação corporal de mulheres brasileiras com e sem dor relacionada à dismenorreia primária: estudo transversal

Abstract

Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is a common condition in women of reproductive age characterized by abdominal pain that occurs during the menstrual cycle in the absence of pelvic pathology. Recently, studies of chronic pain have found an association between the presence of pain and body image distortions. The aim of this study was to verify the association between PD related pain and body appreciation. Brazilian women aged 18 to 52 years were invited to participate in the study via social media and were divided into two groups: PD group (n=1.742; 28.3±6.9 years) and no PD group (n=680; 30.2±7 years). Participants completed an online questionnaire that included sociodemographic and gynecologic questions, the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) to assess the pain severity, and the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) to assess the body appreciation. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression. The PD group had significantly lower body appreciation compared to the no PD group (p <0.001).