Prevalence of common menstrual problems and their relationship with examination stress among female medical students of Faculty of healthcare Sciences , Eastern University, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Menstruation is a normal vaginal bleeding that occurs as a part of a woman’s monthly cycle. Variations in menstrual patterns are frequently observed among young females. Menstrual patterns can be affected by a number of factors. Menstrual abnormalities and Exam stress are two very common complains among female medical students. To estimate the common menstrual problems during MBBS Phase exam periods and the respective study leave periods, among female medical students of, Faculty of HealthCare-Sciences. To describe the examination stress during MBBS Phase exam periods and the respective study leave periods, among the female medical students in Faculty of Health-CareSciences. To determine the relationship between the common menstrual problem and the examination stress during MBBS Phase exam periods and the respective study leave periods, among the female medical students in Faculty of Health-Care-Sciences, Eastern University, Sri Lanka. It was an analytical cross sectional study based on Faculty of Health-Care Sciences, carried out among 169 female medical students from 4 batches .total enumeration was the sampling method. Self-administered online questionnaire was used to collect data. The data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 27. WaLLIDD Score, SAMANTA scale and WESTSIDE Test Anxiety Scale were used to assess Dysmenorrhea, Heavy menstrual bleeding and Examination stress. Tables and charts were generated based on specific objectives for comparison. Chi Square test was used to analyze the association between particular factors. The present study conducted among 169 female medical students of Faculty of Health-Care sciences , Eastern University , Sri Lanka shows 42.6% (n=72) prevalence of menstrual cycle irregularities , 18% (n=32) prevalence of Oligomenorrgea , 17.2% (n=29) prevalence of Heavy menstrual bleeding and 71% (n=120) prevalence of Dysmenorrhea. 59.2% (n=100) of the participants showed significantly high test anxiety. This research have shown that Phase Examination stress is having statistically significant relationship with prevalence of menstrual cycle irregularities and Dysmenorrhea. Prevalence of Oligomenorrhea and Heavy menstrual bleeding are not having statistically significant relationship with Phase Examination stress, among female medical students in Faculty of Health-Care sciences. Phase examination stress is strongly associated with the prevalence of common menstrual problems, particularly menstrual cycle irregularities and Dysmenorrhea in the target population. Only limited number of researches has been done regarding this, and it should be addressed more in future.