Menstrual symptoms, attitudes and consulting behaviour.

Menstrual symptoms are extremely common and yet consultation rates for menstrual symptoms are low. This paper examines the prevalence, nature and severity of the menstrual symptoms reported by a community sample of 79 women aged 16-44. A typology of women's attitudes towards menstruation is constructed. Level of menstrual symptom distress and attitudes towards menstruation are then incorporated into a typology of non-consulters for menstrual problems. Finally, some of the principal issues raised by this typology are discussed.