Table 1 Sociodemographic characteristics and the level of knowledge about endometriosis of the surveyed women (n = 200)
From: An assessment of Polish women’s level of knowledge about endometriosis: a pilot study
Variables | n | % |
|---|---|---|
Education level | ||
Full secondary | 48 | 24 |
Incomplete higher (bachelor’s degree) | 31 | 15.5 |
Higher | 97 | 48.5 |
None—student | 26 | 13 |
Education | ||
Medical | 87 | 43.5 |
Nonmedical | 113 | 56.5 |
Professional status | ||
Student/pupil | 26 | 13 |
Professionally active | 152 | 76 |
Unemployed | 19 | 9.5 |
Retired | 3 | 1.5 |
Place of residence | ||
Town | 158 | 79 |
Suburban areas | 10 | 5 |
Village | 32 | 16 |
Degree of knowledge about endometriosis | ||
Very good | 9 | 4.5 |
Good | 55 | 27.5 |
Sufficient | 61 | 30.5 |
Satisfactory | 18 | 9 |
Insufficient | 26 | 13 |
Very bad | 31 | 1.5 |
Sources of knowledge* | ||
Internet | 90 | 45 |
Experience of other women | 72 | 36.1 |
Physician | 33 | 16.3 |
Own experience | 31 | 15.3 |
Reasons behind the lack of knowledge* | ||
Insufficient information in the media | 128 | 64 |
Belief that menstrual pain is a standard attributed to gender, not a symptom | 107 | 53.5 |
A ‘taboo’ related to menstruation | 132 | 66 |
No information about the disease from physicians | 62 | 31.4 |
No education in schools about menstrual pain and women’s diseases | 76 | 38 |
Aspect of the disease, to which the lack of knowledge was related* | ||
Diagnosing time | 166 | 83.2 |
The occurrence of infertility as a consequence of the untreated disease | 145 | 72.5 |
Menstrual pain as the earliest symptom of the developing disease | 127 | 63.3 |
The age of women who most frequently suffer from endometriosis | 43 | 21.3 |