Prevalence and knowledge of heavy menstrual bleeding among African American women

ObjectiveTo assess self-reported prevalence, knowledge, and health literacy regarding heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) among African American women.MethodsA quantitative cross-sectional survey study was conducted. An original survey was developed and distributed to a convenience sample of African American women aged 18–60 years at a community fair in a large city in the Midwestern region of the USA.ResultsOf the 274 surveys distributed, 247 were returned, 193 of which met the inclusion criteria. Overall, 163 (84.5%) participants demonstrated adequate health literacy; however, 168 (87.0%) answered fewer than 8 of 15 knowledge questions correctly. Although 75 (38.9%) women reported seeing a clinician for HMB, 89 (46.1%) believed that there was nothing that they could do to prevent it from occurring.ConclusionThe present study found that the proportion of HMB among participants was higher than the nationwide prevalence. However, a gap existed in knowledge of HMB among the women surveyed. The study findings indicate an opportunity for community-based education to raise awareness of HMB, its associated clinical presentations, and available treatment modalities.