Effort-reward imbalance and overcommitment at work are associated with painful menstruation: results from the Hungarostudy Epidemiological Panel 2006.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the relationship between work stress, defined according to the Effort-Reward Imbalance Model, and painful menstruation.

METHODS: Data of 821 pre-menopausal and not pregnant working women from the Hungarostudy Epidemiological Panel 2006 were analyzed. The association between work stress and dysmenorrhoea was investigated using logistic regression.

RESULTS: After controlling for age, occupational class, own and mother's education, marital status, parity, unsuccessfully trying to conceive for at least 1 year, previous miscarriage, smoking, body-mass index, physical activity and depressive symptoms effort-reward imbalance and overcommitment were associated with an increased risk of menstrual pain (OR [95% CI]: 1.42 [1.03 to 1.94] and 1.07 [1.02 to 1.13], respectively).

CONCLUSIONS: We found work stress to be associated with dysmenorrhoea. The relationship between work-related psychosocial factors and painful menstruation needs to be further investigated to determine factors that may explain this association.