The Global Economic Burden and Clinical Landscape of Dysmenorrhea: Implications for Health-Related Quality of Life, Productivity, and Public Policy

Dysmenorrhea is one of the most prevalent gynaecological disorders among women of reproductive age globally. Despite its overwhelming prevalence, its broader macroeconomic burden, systemic impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and associated public health policy requirements remain significantly underestimated and under recognized. This systematic review synthesizes global evidence evaluating the direct healthcare expenditures and indirect productivity losses of dysmenorrhea, assesses the impact of socioeconomic determinants and humanitarian displacement on symptom amplification, evaluates the diagnostic utility of multidimensional clinometric tools, and presents an evidence-based policy framework. Indirect costs dwarf direct medical expenditures, with presenteeism driving over 85% of total productivity losses averaging 8.9 days of lost functional capacity per woman annually compared to overt absenteeism (1.3 days per year).