Prevalence and management practice of dysmenorrhea among female undergraduate nursing students, Eastern University, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Primary dysmenorrhea is a menstruation pain, unlike associated with reproductive pathological abnormalities since the onset of menarche and affects about 50% of menstruating women. Miscellany management techniques are used to improve dysmenorrhea worldwide. The study was aimed to assess the prevalence, associated symptoms, and management aspect of dysmenorrhea among female undergraduate nursing students of Eastern University Sri Lanka. Descriptive, cross-sectional study, was conducted among 88 undergraduate nursing students of the 4 batches of the Faculty of Health- Care Sciences (FHCS)via a self administered online questionnaire. 95.45% of students were responded to the study. Variable and risk factors were analyzed through descriptive analysis by using SPSS.25. Among 84 participants, 73.8% of students were responded to have dysmenorrhea where 17.7 % experienced severe pain with 95% Confident Interval (95% CI 1.17-1.36).The majority of students (69.4%) were experienced moderate pain. More than half of the students (66.7%) reported not having a family history of dysmenorrhea. Among the students who experienced dysmenorrhea 35.5%, students experienced vomiting and diarrhea as pre menstrual symptoms. Lethargy and sleep disturbances were the associated symptom reported by 48.4% and 46.8% of participants respectively. The majority of them (93.5%) used non pharmacological methods to improve dysmenorrhea and about (86.2%) of them were using the relaxation method. There are the significant prevalence of dysmenorrhea was encountered among undergraduate female BSc (Hons) Nursing students of FHCS with considerable of them experiencing premenstrual symptoms. Therefore, Proper health management and advice are needed for the improvement and wellbeing of students to overcome the physical, mental deterioration experienced during the menstrual period.