Skip to main content We believe that periods shouldn't ruin your life. Murdoch Children’s Research Institute is trying to find out how to best care for young people experiencing period or pelvic pain and endometriosis.
LongSTEPPP stands for the Longitudinal Study of Teenagers with Endometriosis, Period and Pelvic Pain in Australia and is a 5-year study starting in 2022. Most young people who have periods will experience some pain. For some people, this is manageable and will not change normal everyday activities. For others, the pain they experience will stop them from doing everyday activities and may impact their quality of life and mental health.
We believe that period and pelvic pain can be managed to prevent chronic pain and endometriosis. We want to measure and track, periods, pain, quality of life and mental health in young people affected by period or pelvic pain and endometriosis.
Who can participate?
Australians (aged 10-18 years) who experience period pain, pelvic pain or endometriosis and who have a new referral to a gynaecologist (a doctor who specialises in women’s health) can take part. We are currently recruiting young people and their parents/guardians to join LongSTEPPP.
What does the research involve?
We will ask you to complete yearly questionnaires about your periods, pain, quality of life and mental health. The questionnaires will be sent via email and should be filled in within one month of receipt. Each questionnaire for the research project will take between 5 and 20 minutes, or around 2 to 2.5 hours of your time, per year in total.
If you agree, we will also collect information from Medicare such as if you’ve seen a GP or had gynaecological surgery and if you’ve been prescribed hormones or strong pain medicines. This requires you to complete a separate consent form that we will provide you. If you enrol in LongSTEPPP and live in Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane you have the option of taking part in pain-orientated sensitivity testing (POST). POST is performed by a trained nurse or doctor and takes about 10 minutes, measuring sensation and pressure pain threshold. Participating in LongSTEPPP will only take a few hours of your time each year.
How do I get involved?
You can learn more about our study by visiting our website or by contacting the team on 0450 707 234 or contact the team directly below