Determination of Prevalence, Predictors and Effects of Dysmenorrhoea among Adolescent Girls - A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction

Dysmenorrhea is a normal gynaecological condition that can affect almost half the women. About 10% of these women endure a severe state to the point that they are incapacitated for 1-3 days during each monthly cycle. This kind of circumstance not only impacts personal satisfaction and individual wellbeing but also has a worldwide monetary impact.¹

Dysmenorrhea, also called as excruciating periods, is characterized as agony during monthly cycle. This is most common reason for young females to visit gynaecological centres. Even though dysmenorrhea is not a serious condition, it can be excruciating for teenagers.²

Dysmenorrhea is an ailment described by serious uterine torment during monthly cycle. A large proportion of ladies experience minor torment during feminine cycle. It has been analysed that when the aggravation is extreme to restrict daily ordinary activities, the women require medications.³

Previous researches contributes to existing theories and identifies a neglected pattern. Once more, these surveys guarantees thatfeminine schooling tends to the social, mental effect of dysmenorrhea as well as the actual components of menstruation.⁴

Immaturity is a period from youth to adulthood. It is portrayed by physical, endocrinal, close to home and mental development. The time of youthfulness is a time for physical and mental planning for safe parenthood. Not only does it affect the health of the youth but also the well-being of the future population.⁵

Taking into account the scarcity of information on dysmenorrhoea in Bagalkot locality, on account of test size the singular examinations might have insufficient factual power. We intend to gather cross sectional information on the predominance and indicators of dysmenorrhoea. which impacts youths in chosen rustic regions of Bagalkot area. This study can offer essential reference information on predictive factors of dysmenorrhea, which can be used to guide its prevention and control strategies in this region.⁶

Material and Methods

Ethical clearance

Institutional ethical clearance was obtained (Ref No. BVVS/SIONS/IEC/2021-22/149; Date: 28-04-2021).

Research approach

Research Configuration: Cross-sectional distinct examination plan.

Setting: The study is conducted in rural areas of the Bagalkot locality.

Data Collection Strategy: The sample was chosen using a complete identification procedure, with Shirur town, randomly selected as the country setting.

Sample Size: The study included a sample size of 217 young girls.

Population: The study subjects comprised young girls aged between 12 and 18 years.

Variables under study

Study variable: Dysmenorrhoea in adolescent girls, age of menarche, educational status, place of living (with parents or without parents), menstrual history (regular or irregular), nature of menstrual bleeding (small, heavy or normal), duration of cycle (less than 21 or more than 21 days), history of dysmenorrhea (yes or no).

Selected socio demographic variables

Age, gender, duration, education, occupation, marital status, religion, number of members in the family, side effects of dysmenorrhea, monthly family income.

Data collection procedure

Prior authorization was obtained from Head, B.V.V. Sangha's SIONS, Bagalkot. Authorization was obtained from the Clinical official of Shrirur Essential Wellbeing Focus of Bagalkot district. The written consent and verbal assent were obtained from the subjects chosen for the study. Uneducated juvenile young ladies were interviewed, while educated young women were provided with structured closed-ended questionnaires. The data collection took place between 9 am and 5 pm, depending on the availability of the subjects.

Statistical analysis

The data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Numerical data obtained from the sample was organized and summarized with the help of descriptive statistics like percentages, mean, median and standard deviation. Multiple linear regression model was used to determine significant predictors of dysmenorrhoea among adolescent girls.

Results

Socio-demographic variables and clinical characteristics of mother

Majority of respondents with dysmenorrhea (28%) were 18 years and above in age. About 33% of the subjects with dysmenorrhoea were Christian students. Regarding the type of family, 53% reported nuclear family. Furthermore, 43% of adolescents completed secondary education. Parents of majority of respondents did labored work (42%) while 53% earned Rs. 15,000 and above per month. About 33% of girls attained menarche at the age of 12 years (Table 1).

Predictors among adolescent girls

The overall predictors of self-reported dysmenorrhea in this study were the majority of despondence with dysmenorrhea (69.6%) between the ages of 19 years old. 70% of subjects had secondary school education qualification. About 81.9% of subjects were not living with parents. Around 52.5% of subjects attained menarche at the age of 13-15 years. 80.2% of subjects reported regular menstruation. 68.2% subjects reported moderate menstrual flow with a cycle length of >21 days (88.9) (Table 2).

Predictors among adolescent girls In this study overall 68.1% of dysmenorrhoea are selfreported, where majority were between 16-19 years old with 69.6%. The mean age of the participants was 16.7±1.98 years. More than 70.5% of the subjects with dysmenorrhoea were senior high school students but no significance was found (p >0.20). According to living status, 73.9% of the respondents who had dysmenorrhea lived with their families and this was significant (p <0.04). Moreover, adolescents who had their first menstruation at the age of 13–15 years reported more to have experienced dysmenorrhea (59.8%) than their peers, but no significant association was found (p >0.20). However, 28.5% of subjects with dysmenorrhoea had menstrual irregularity (Table 3).

After adjustment of all the variables, a significant association between irregular menstrual cycle (p <0.01), not living with their parent (p <0.04), and self-reported dysmenorrhoea was found. However, no significant association between self-reported dysmenorrhoea and other variables was observed. Besides, 53.1% of adolescents who do not live with their parents experienced an increase in odds of self-reporting dysmenorrhoea [AOR, 1.53 (95% CI, 1.02–2.30; p <0.04)]. Likewise, 72.5% of respondents who had irregular menstrual cycle experienced an increase in odds of self-reporting dysmenorrhoea [AOR, 1.73 (95% CI, 1.16–2.57; p <0.01)] (Table 4).

Higher proportion of dysmenorrhea adolescents reported to have mostly ignored their menstrual pain (57.1%). Nevertheless, when they took action, they mostly relied on self-medication (31.3%), less on physical exercise (88.9%), relaxation (26.7%), hot application (8.8%), and herbs (4.1%) for relieving their menstrual pain. Only a few of them (16.1%) consulted a physician. Nevertheless, no significant association with dysmenorrhea was found (Table 5).

Discussion

The main objective of the present non-experimental descriptive study was to assess the predictors, prevelence and effects of dysmennorhea in adolescent girls.

The finding related to socio-demographic variable among adolescent girls reveals that majority of girls age belongs to 28 % in between 18 and above years. 25 % in the age group of 12 to 14 years and 17 to 18 years. Lowest percentage is 22% were belonging to age group less than 15 to 16 years. It reveals that majority of girls under the study were belonging to age group 18 and above years.

The finding of the study is similar to the study conducted by Kwabena Acheampong (2019) which reveals that age group of adolescent girls belongs to mean of 16-19 years. The findings reveals that The percentage-wise distribution of adolescent girls according to education 69% of girls secondary education (p=0.20), and 31% had primary education. The majority of mothers where belongs to secondary education. Whereas other studies reveals that The mean educational level was 16.7 years, with 50.6% of women having eleven or more years of schooling.⁷

A previous study mentioned that the treatment of dysmenorrhea includes various methods, one of which is the use of a heating pad. Our findings also align with this, as 11.4% of the dysmenorrhea adolescents in our study reported using a hot application for pain relief. Additionally, 6.7% of the adolescents in our study used herbs to alleviate their menstrual pain.^8,9

In our study, 6.9% of adolescents with dysmenorrhea reported being absent from school. Previous studies have indicated that absenteeism rates due to dysmenorrhea range from 5% to 14%. Moreover, dysmenorrhea has been identified as the primary cause of recurrent shortterm school absence in previous research. Our study's finding of 6.9% absenteeism in Shirur was comparable to the 9.2% reported previously but lower than the 44.0% rate.¹⁰

Conclusion

This study suggest that girls had a poor knowledge regarding adolescents, most of girls affected by efficacy. There must be strategies to improve the knowledge of the mother regarding dysmenorrhea. The strategies should be adapted are girls education, counselling. To improve the efficacy among girls there should be educational programs conducted for adolescent girls. Girls to increase their knowledge and interest about dysmenorrhea, encourage girls by incorporating them in educational programmes.

Conflict of interest

None