Prevalence of dysmenorrhea, associated factors, pain intensity, and its effect on daily academic activities among female undergraduate students of Hawassa University College of medicine and health sciences, Hawassa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Painful menstruation, known as dysmenorrhea, is a common gynecologic incident that affects mainly reproductive-age females with significant social, academic, and psychological negative impacts. Young females are one of the productive age who become future leaders and hope for the country as well as the community. Any problem which affects this age group will have a tremendous economic and psychological burden on the country and community. This study aims to assess the prevalence, associated risk factors of dysmenorrhea, pain intensity, and its effects on academic activities among Hawassa university students from April 1–30/2021Methods: A cross-sectional study was employed among Hawassa University students. Standardized self-administered questionnaires were used to get 348 individuals selected by systematic random sampling technique. A verbal multidimensional scoring system and Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) tools were used to the assessment of dysmenorrhea and the extent of pain severity. Data entered into Epi info version 7 and exported to SPSS version 21 for analysis. Pearson chi-square test was used to check the presence of an association between independent and outcome variables. Bivariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used for further assessment of the strength. The significance level was obtained using an odds ratio of 95%and CI a with p-value < 0. 05.Results: The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 80% (277). Of these,39.7 % (110) have reported that daily activity was affected; analgesics were required and gave sufficient relief, and 12.6% (35) reported that analgesia has no effect and their daily activities are inhibited. It hurt academic activities such as loss of class concentration, study time, sleep disturbances, personal relationships, and absenteeism. Factors associated are being sexually active, family history of dysmenorrhea, and presence of depression Conclusion: Dysmenorrhea is prevalent in this study and has a significant impact on academic activities. Family history of dysmenorrhea, being sexually active, and presence of depression are associated factors.