Speaker:
Gemma Sawyer (Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol)Abstract:
Research in a variety of different countries has shown that menstrual-related symptoms are often associated with absenteeism (time off from school/work) and presenteeism (loss of productivity at school/work). There are, however, several limitations and gaps in current research, including cross-sectional study designs, residual confounding, recall bias, and a narrow focus on menstrual pain. Further research is therefore warranted to enhance our understanding of how menstrual symptoms during adolescence may negatively impact school attendance and educational attainment. We conducted a study using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Adolescents provided data on their menstrual-related pain, heaviness of bleeding, and number of days bleeding and the Department for Education provided linked data on absences and GCSE score. We used multivariable linear regression to examine the associations between menstrual symptoms and educational outcomes, adjusting for important confounders. In this talk, I will discuss the results from these analyses and multiple sensitivity analyses, as well as their limitations and the implications of our findings.