The experience of healthcare interactions for women with symptoms of abnormal menstruation: A systematic review and meta-synthesis

Rebecca Peel; Karen Missen; Carolyn Bailey; Singarayer Florentine

doi:10.1016/j.pec.2025.109225

The experience of healthcare interactions for women with symptoms of abnormal menstruation: A systematic review and meta-synthesis

Patient Educ Couns. 2025 Jun 16:138:109225. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2025.109225. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Rebecca Peel¹, Karen Missen², Carolyn Bailey³, Singarayer Florentine⁴

Affiliations

¹ Collaborative Evaluation & Research Group, Federation University Australia, Berwick Campus, 100 Clyde Road, Berwick, Victoria 3806, Australia. Electronic address: rebeccapeel@students.federation.edu.au.
² Institute of Health and Wellbeing, Federation University Australia, Gippsland Campus Northways Rd, Churchill, Victoria 3842, Australia. Electronic address: karen.missen@federation.edu.au.
³ Institute of Health and Wellbeing, Federation University Australia, Gippsland Campus Northways Rd, Churchill, Victoria 3842, Australia. Electronic address: carolyn.bailey@federation.edu.au.
⁴ Future Regions Research Centre, Federation University Australia, Mt Helen Campus University Drive, Mt Helen, Victoria 3350, Australia. Electronic address: s.florentine@federation.edu.au.

PMID: 40540810
DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2025.109225

Abstract

Objectives: This systematic review aimed to explore the experience of healthcare interactions for women with symptoms of abnormal menstruation as described in qualitative research studies.

Methods: We searched five databases from 2004 - 2024 focussing on menstrual symptoms and healthcare interactions. Articles were assessed for quality using the qualitative CASP tool and relevant data were extracted and subjected to thematic synthesis.

Results: We found that this group of women experience healthcare interactions characterised by dismissal, normalisation and medical myths, which caused some women to leave western healthcare. Women offer a way forward to improve communication during healthcare interactions.

Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-synthesis demonstrates that the healthcare interaction for women presenting with symptoms of abnormal menstruation has not changed much over the last 20 years.

Practice implications: The findings of this systematic review and meta-synthesis demonstrate that healthcare professionals need education in communicating with people who present with symptoms that have an unclear diagnosis.

Keywords: Dismissal; Healthcare communication; Healthcare encounter; Healthcare interaction; Menstrual symptoms; Normalisation.

Publication types

Review