Associated clinical manifestations and self-management approaches of primary dysmenorrhea among adolescent students in Erbil City, Iraq

Abstract EN

Background: Primary dysmenorrhea is one of the most common gynecological problems among adolescent females which interferes with daily activities and affects their physical and emotional aspects and has a negative impact on quality of life.

Self-medication for primary dysmenorrhea is a very common practice.

Objective: This study aimed to find the associated clinical manifestations and self-management approaches of primary dysmenorrhea and its relations with some demographical and menstrual characteristics.

Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross‑sectional study was conducted on 300 dysmenorrheic adolescent students in secondary schools in Erbil city, during the period from March to June 2016.

A purposive (nonprobability) sampling was used.

A questionnaire format was prepared by researcher which included following parts: sociodemographic data, menstrual data, clinical manifestation, and self‑management approaches to minimize this problem.

Results: Majority of the study samples aged between 14 and 17 years, their school class was 11, the education of their mothers was illiterate, and mothers’ occupation was housewife.

Regarding the menstrual characteristics, age of menarche among majority of the study samples was between 12 and 14 years, frequency of menstrual cycle was between 29 and 31 days, and level of pain during menstruation was severe.

There was a high significant association between headache, breast tenderness, and age of adolescents.

Significant association was also found between reduced ability of concentration and age of menarche.

There was a significant relationship between self‑management approach used by adolescents with school class and regularity of blood flow.

Conclusion: Primary dysmenorrhea considerably affected physical activity and concentration of students.

Self‑management approaches practiced by adolescent participated in this study were poor.