Assessment and Comparison on Use of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs for the Management of Dysmenorrhea by Medical and Non-Medical Students

Abstract

Background: Primary dysmenorrhea is one of the most common gynecological problems among adolescent females. It is defined as painful menses in women with normal pelvic anatomy, usually beginning during adolescence. This study aims to assess the prevalence, management practices, and associated side effects of dysmenorrhea among these students, focusing particularly on the use of NSAIDs and self-medication. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted from July 8, 2024, to August 4, 2024, at PUSHS, GPCAR, and PUCEF in Koshi Province, Sundarharaicha. The study included 186 undergraduate female students from medical and non-medical faculties at Purbanchal University who experienced dysmenorrhea. A self-administered, semi-structured questionnaire was used to gather data on demographic characteristics, menstrual history, and NSAID usage. Convenient sampling technique was used, and data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 27. Result:  A total of 186 students (126 medical and 60 non-medical) were included in the study. 88.6% of students experienced dysmenorrhea, with similar prevalence rates in medical (88.1%) and non-medical students (89.6%). Among those affected, 60.8% used over-the-counter pain relievers, with a higher proportion of non-medical students (66.7%) relying on self-medication compared to medical students (57.9%). Mefenamic acid was the most preferred NSAID, used by 90.3% of NSAID users, but non-medical students showed a higher preference (95.0%) compared to medical students (87.7%). Although NSAIDs were generally reported as effective by 61.9% of users, medical students reported slightly higher effectiveness (64.4%) than non-medical students (57.5%). Side effects were reported by 75.22 % of NSAID users: Non-medical students experienced slightly fewer side effects (72.5%) compared to medical students (76.71%). Conclusion: Dysmenorrhea is highly prevalent among both medical and non-medical students, with NSAIDs being a common management method. Despite the efficacy of NSAIDs, significant side effects were reported, particularly among non-medical students. This underscores the need for better educational programs on safe NSAID use and alternative pain management strategies. Keywords: Dysmenorrhea, NSAIDs, Menstrual Cycle, Self-medication, Side Effects, Medical Students, Non-medical Students