Dysmenorrhea and Occupational Factors: Korea Nurses’ Health Study

Aim: To examine the prevalence of dysmenorrhea in the predominantly female nursing profession and investigate the role of occupational characteristics in dysmenorrhea. Background: Studies on working women have mostly examined the effects of dysmenorrhea symptoms on work performance, as opposed to shedding light on the association between work-related characteristics and dysmenorrhea. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we used data obtained from survey 9 of the Korea Nurses’ Health Study. The participants were female nurses of childbearing age. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression. Results: Data from 6697 participants were analyzed. Of the total sample, 47.3% had dysmenorrhea. After adjusting for confounders to examine the relationship between occupational characteristics and dysmenorrhea, the odds for dysmenorrhea were 1.230 times higher among women who lifted heavy objects at least six times a day compared to those who did not engage in heavy lifting (95% confidence interval: 1.028–1.473) and 1.042 times higher among women with higher physical fatigue (odds ratio: 1.042, 95% confidence interval: 1.023–1.061). Conclusion: The findings clarify the potential for reducing dysmenorrhea through the improvement of work environment factors. Thus, this study may prove useful for developing educational programs and policies that aim to alleviate dysmenorrhea among working women, including nurses. Implications for Nursing Management: Nursing managers and health policymakers need to understand the factors influencing dysmenorrhea and minimize female nurses’ physical burden by implementing appropriate nurse–patient ratios and improving their work environment.