Survey study, 1999
Do cyclical behavioral changes happen in women with mental disabilities, and what helps?
Cyclical behavioral changes occur in 18% of women with mental disabilities. NSAIDs helped 65% of those treated, hormone injections helped 66%, and birth control pills helped 40%.
What they did
Doctors reviewed medical records of 522 women with mental disabilities of reproductive age who visited a clinic. They looked for cyclical behavioral changes and documented what treatments were used and whether women improved.
What they found
93 women (18%) showed cyclical behavioral changes, most commonly aggression or self-harm. Of 46 women given NSAIDs, 30 (65%) improved. Of 9 women given hormone injections (depomedroxyprogesterone), 6 (66%) improved. Of 15 given birth control pills, 6 (40%) improved.
What it means for you
Cyclical behavioral changes are common and may relate partly to menstrual pain or cramps, since NSAIDs work for most women. Hormone-based treatments also help many women when pain relievers don't. The main limit is that treatments were chosen by individual doctors rather than assigned randomly, and behavior was clearly documented in only 46% of cases.
522
Women studied
18%
With cyclical behavioral changes
65%
Improved on NSAIDs
About the study
- Original title
- The treatment of cyclical behavioral changes in women with mental disabilities
- Authors
- Quint EH, Elkins TE, Sorg CA et al.
- Journal
- Journal of pediatric and adolescent gynecology
- Year
- 1999
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 522
- What was tested
- NSAIDs, birth control pills, depomedroxyprogesterone hormone injections
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/s1038-3188(99)00006-6
Topics
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