This cross-sectional study aimed to determine whether adolescent girls with severe dysmenorrhea (SD) have different psychological characteristics from their peers. Subjects included a nationally representative sample of 16 to 20 year old adolescents attending post-mandatory education in Switzerland (n = 7548; 3340 females). Subjects were administered an anonymous survey consisting of 565 items on four main topics, including sociodemographic determinants of health, health status, health behaviors, and health care use. A total of 12.4% (95% CI 11.0-14) of the subjects declared SD. Compared to their peers, subjects with SD were more likely to report depressive symptoms [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.73; 95% CI 1.38-2.15], have a higher gynecological age (AOR 1.13; 95% CI 1.05-1.20), and attend vocational school (AOR 1.33; 95% CI 1.00-1.76). Moreover, the proportion of those reporting dissatisfaction with body appearance was higher (AOR 1.50; 95% CI 1.02-2.22). Patients with SD not only show a different profile from their peers in terms of mental health academic track and gynecological age but they are also more dissatisfied with their body appearance. Therefore, clinicians should offer patients with SD a global evaluation, bearing in mind what factors can be associated with SD. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2012 Feb;25(1):19-22. PMID: 22217652
