Factors associated with dysmenorrhea among workers in French poultry slaughterhouses and canneries.

The food and agriculture industry employs 15% of the female industrial work force in France. Workers in this industry are exposed to a variety of environmental and organizational constraints: cold, uncomfortable postures, assembly-line work, irregular schedules. In 1987 to 1988, a medical examination and questionnaire were administered to 726 menstruating women who had not been pregnant during the 2 previous years, as part of a study of French workers in 17 poultry slaughterhouses and 6 canning factories. Dysmenorrhea during the previous year was more prevalent among younger women and smokers, and less prevalent among users of oral contraceptives. After adjustment for nonoccupational variables, dysmenorrhea was significantly related to several parameters expressing cold exposure and physical work load. Other parameters such as job satisfaction and hours of domestic work were not associated with dysmenorrhea.