PRIMARY DYSMENORRHEA PREVALENCE AND ITS IMPACT ON THE FEMALE STUDENTS QUALITY OF LIFE AT UMM AL-QURA UNIVERSITY: A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Ali A. Thabet*, Anwar A. Ebid, Kadrya H. Battecha, Mohamed M. Ibrahim Salem, Abeer R. Ibrahim, Marwah L. Zaki Hussain, Rawan A. Alqarni, Daad W. Mansouri, Saja W. damanhori and Albatool Jalali

Background: Dysmenorrhea or painful menstruation is a common menstrual discomfort characterized by a severe painful cramping in the lower abdomen that occurs before or during menstruation and has a significant impact on productivity, quality of life, and health care utilization.

Purpose: This study was aimed to determine the prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea and its impact on female students quality of life at Umm Al-Qura University.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Umm Al-Qura University with a total of five hundred (517) female students with primary dysmenorrhea aged 18-25 years. Data were collected through an online questionnaire, including the incidence and duration of dysmenorrhea and severity assessment was performed using a visual analog scale (VAS), and quality of life according to the EuroQol-5D quality of life scale. Data Analysis: Data were analyzed through statistical package SPSS version 16.

Results: The results showed that the prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea was (91.1%) among 471 female students, while the prevalence of non-dysmenorrhea was (9.9%) among 46 female students. A significant difference was found (P value < 0.0001), with the primary dysmenorrhea group having a lower level of quality of life according to the EuroQol-5D quality of life scale than the non-dysmenorrhea group.

Conclusion: The research underscores a high prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea (91.1%) among female university students. It emphasizes how primary dysmenorrhea and its associated pain symptoms detrimentally impact university performance and overall quality of life.