PREVALENCE OF DYSMENORRHEA IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH SCHOOL ABSENTEEISM

Abstract

Dysmenorrhea is popularly known as menstrual cramps, and is characterized by pain in the lower part of the abdomen, manifesting itself in the pre- and intra-menstrual period. The present study aims to estimate the prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea in university students, and its relationship with the frequency of school absenteeism. This is a descriptive study, carried out with university students of Nursing, using a self-administered questionnaire formulated by Rodrigues (2011). Subsequently, the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The sample consisted of 78 university students, aged between 18 and 55 years (average age of 24.2±6.1 years). Sixty-four (82.05%) complained of dysmenorrhea, which predominated in the age group of 18 to 41 years of age. Regarding the degree of intensity of dysmenorrhea, 85.93% described a moderate and sever pain. Fourteen (21.87%) participants stated that they had already missed class because of menstrual cramps. The most used methods for pain relief were medications (81.25). Thirty-three university students (51.56%) considered themselves to be sufficiently informed about dysmenorrhea. The study revealed a high prevalence of dysmenorrhea among university students, with the degree of pain varying between moderate and severe. Despite the intensity of the pain, low rate of school absenteeism was observed, possibly due to the widespread use of pain relief medications.

Keywords: Menstrual Cramps; Pelvic pain; School Absence; Academics.