Self-care strategies for the management of primary dysmenorrhea among young women in Asir region, Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Dysmenorrhea is a global public health issue that affects around three-quarters of young women and is categorized into primary and secondary. Primary dysmenorrhea is characterized by painful menstrual cramps and it is not linked to any underlying uterine pathology. The global prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea has been estimated to range from 45-95% of women of reproductive age. Dysmenorrhea negatively impacts the quality of life of young women and commonly contributes to absences from work and school. This study was conducted to examine the self-management practices for primary dysmenorrhea among female undergraduate students in the Asir region. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study has followed a cross-sectional design using a web-based self-administered questionnaire. A total of 391 students agreed to participate in the study and completed the questionnaire. RESULTS: Around 82% (n=322) of the participants reported experiencing menstrual pain in the last three menstruations (dysmenorrhea). Just below two-thirds (62.1%) were current users of analgesics for managing menstrual pain. Paracetamol (70.4%) was the most commonly used analgesic, followed by Ibuprofen (45.7%). However, about 67% of the respondents were current users of complementary and alternative therapies (CATs) for managing dysmenorrhea. The participants indicated that their reasons for using CATs included reducing the need for analgesics (82%), safety (53.3%), efficacy (46%), availability (35.6%), recommendation from others (19.9%) and cost (7.3%). Just above half of the study participants indicated that CATs are less effective than analgesics. Around 74% of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed that CATs are safer than analgesics in relieving menstrual pain. CONCLUSIONS: Community pharmacists are one of the most accessible healthcare practitioners that offer a wide range of health services and consultations. Collaboration between educational institutions and community pharmacies could play a role in promoting self-care practices among young women.