Prevalence and Associated Factors of Dysmenorrhea Among University Students in Tamil Nadu, India: A Cross-Sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55489/njcm.160120254550Keywords:
Menstrual disorder, Menstrual pain, Prevalence, Primary dysmenorrhea, Young girlsAbstract
Introduction: Dysmenorrhea is a common gynaecological condition of uterine origin characterised by excruciating menstrual cramps. For more than 50% of menstruating women primary dysmenorrhea is both a clinical and a social problem. A cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the prevalence and determine the factors associated with dysmenorrhoea among university students in Tamil Nadu.
Methods: With ethical approval from the Institutional Ethical Committee of SRMIST (Deemed University), 1076 students aged 18-25 were selected with simple random sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire over June-Sept. 2023. The pain of dysmenorrhea was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).
Results: The estimated prevalence of dysmenorrhoea was 25.5% (274), and 92.47% (n=995) had menstrual pain. It was found that 45.45%, 28.90%, 17.01% and 8.64% of the university students experienced mild, moderate, severe, and worse pain, respectively, as measured using the VAS. There is a significant association between dysmenorrhea and clots during menstruation (AOR=1.40; 95% CI [1.032, 1.913]) and skipping of meals (AOR=1.7; 95% CI [1.172, 2.489]).
Conclusions: It is evident from the study that more than 25% of university students face dysmenorrhea, and most have pain with varied degrees and types. The students should seek help for dysmenorrhoea, not neglect it, and take care of their physical activities and nutrition. In addition, universities should promote education on nutrition and physical activities and empower students to seek help for dysmenorrhea.
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