Prevalence of Dysmenorrhea and its Contribution to School Absenteeism Among Nigerian Undergraduate Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30442/ahr.0701-07-116Keywords:
Dysmenorrhea, Menstrual pain, Menstruation, School absenteeism, UndergraduatesAbstract
Background: Dysmenorrhea remains one of the common gynaecological conditions among women of reproductive age. With varying severity, it can be associated with morbidities that affect the quality of life. Among students, dysmenorrhea leads to school absenteeism which may ultimately affect school performance.
Objectives: To determine the prevalence of dysmenorrhea among undergraduates as well as the incidence of school absenteeism in women with dysmenorrhea.
Methods: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study of 583 female university students was done using the multistage sampling method.
Results: Four hundred and twenty-four respondents out of 516 had experienced dysmenorrhea giving a prevalence of 82.2%. On a visual analogue scale, 8.5% reported mild pain, 59.7% moderate and 31.8% severe. Two hundred and thirty-six (55.7%) could not carry out their routine chores because of the pain while 181 (42.7%) had been absent from school because of painful menses. School absenteeism was significantly associated with severe pain.
Conclusion: This study has identified that dysmenorrhea is common among undergraduates. It is also associated with school absenteeism, especially in those that reported severe pain. Therefore, it has the potential to affect the academic performance of the affected students. It is recommended that university managements should provide basic care for dysmenorrheic students to improve their school attendance and ultimate performance.
References
Karim AC. Dysmenorrhea. https;//emedicine.medscape.com/article/253812-overview. Accessed 25 March 2018.
Femi-Agboola DM, Sekoni OO, Goodman OO. Dysmenorrhea and its effect on school absenteeism and school activities among adolescents in selected secondary schools in Ibadan. Niger Med J 2017; 58: 143–148. https://doi.org/10.4103/nmj.NMJ_47_17
Saka JM, Olaoye OM, Nneka O, Saka AO, Omolola DO, Rabiyyah HA. Primary dysmenorrhea among the adolescents in Kwara State, Nigeria: The prevalence, knowledge and management. Nurs Pract Today 2018; 5. https://doi.org/10.18502/npt.v5i4.118
Hailemeskel S, Demissie A, Assefa N. Primary dysmenorrhea magnitude, associated risk factors, and its effect on academic performance: evidence from female university students in Ethiopia. Int J Women’s Health 2016; 8: 489–496. https://doi.org/10.2147/IJWH.S112768
Nwankwo TO, Aniebue UU, Aniebue PN. Menstrual disorders in adolescent school girls in Enugu, Nigeria. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol 2010; 23: 358‑363. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2010.04.001
Rabiu A, Abubakar IS, Garba I. Dysmenorrhea and menstrual patterns among adolescent school girls in Kano. Niger J Clin Res 2019; 8: 30-34.
Grandi G, Ferrari S, Cannoletta AX, Palma F, Romani C, Volpe A, Cagnacci A. Prevalence of menstrual pain in young women: what is dysmenorrhea? J Pain Res 2012: 5: 169–174. https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S30602
Aziato L, Dedey F, Clegg-Lamptey JNA. The experience of dysmenorrhoea among Ghanaian senior high and university students: pain characteristics and effects. Reprod Health 2014; 11: 58. https://doi.org/10.1186/1742-4755-11-58
Banikarim C, Chacko MR, Kelder SH. Prevalence and impact of dysmenorrhea on Hispanic female adolescents. Arch Paediatr Adolesc Med 2000; 154: 1226 – 1229. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.154.12.1226
Bello FA, Akinyotu OO, Odubamowo KH. Dysmenorrhea among female students at a Teaching Hospital in South- Western Nigeria. Trop J Obstet Gynaecol 2017; 34: 129-133. https://doi.org/10.4103/TJOG.TJOG_10_17
Araoye, MO. Subject Selection. In: Research Methodology with Statistics for Health and Social Sciences, Nathadex Publishers, Ilorin, Nigeria. 2003. p.115-121.
Anikwe CC, Mamah JE, Okorochukwu BC, Nnadozie UU, Obarezi CH, Ekwedigwe KC. Age at menarche, menstrual characteristics, and its associated morbidities among secondary school students in Abakaliki, southeast Nigeria. Heliyon 2020; 6: e04018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04018
Amaza DS, Sambo N, Zirahei JV, Dalori MB, Japhat H, Toyin H. Menstrual pattern among female medical students in the University of Maiduguri. Br J Med Med Res 2012; 2: 327-337. https://doi.org/10.9734/jammr
Okoro RN, Malgwi H, Okoro GO. Evaluation of factors that increase the severity of dysmenorrhea among university female students in Maiduguri, Northeastern Nigeria. Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice 2013; 11(4): 1–10.
Habibi N, Huang MSL, Gan WY, Zulida R, Safavi SM. Prevalence of Primary dysmenorrhea and factors associated with its intensity among undergraduate students: A Cross-Sectional Study. Pain Management Nursing 2015; 16: 855-861. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmn.2015.07.001
Azagew AW, Kassie DG, Walle TA. Prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea, its intensity, impact and associated factors among female students’ at Gondar town preparatory school, Northwest Ethiopia. BMC Women's Health 2020; 20: 5 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-019-0873-4
Anandha Lakshmi S. Priy M, Saraswathi I, Saravanan A, Ramachandran C. Prevalence of premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhoea among female medical students and its association with college absenteeism. Int J Biol Med Res 2011; 2: 1011 -1016.
Zannoni L, Giorgi M, Spagnolo E, Montanari G, Villa G, Seraccholi R. Dysmenorrhea, absenteeism from school and symptoms suspicious for endometriosis in adolescents. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol 2014; 27: 258-265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2013.11.008
Kareem AO, Adebayo AM, Johnson OE, Kareem AJ. Prevalence of school absenteeism due to menstrual bleeding and associated disorders among secondary school students in a semi-urban area of Southwest Nigeria. Int J School Health 2020; 7: 55-64.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
The articles and other materials published in the Annals of Health Research are protected by the Nigerian Copyright laws. The journal owns the copyright over every article, scientific and intellectual materials published in it. However, the journal grants all authors, users and researchers access to the materials published in the journal with the permission to copy, use and distribute the materials contained therein only for academic, scientific and non-commercial purposes.
