Knowledge and Practice regarding Dysmenorrhea A Study among the Adolescent Girls of Higher Secondary School, Pokhara, Nepal

Abstract

Dysmenorrhoea is one of the most distressing problems associated with menstruation among adolescences which affects the daily routine and hinders the quality of life. Its prevalence varies greatly in different populations, ethnic groups, and socio-economic background and also due to hereditary and sedentary life styles among adolescence aswell.A cross-sectional study was conducted todetermine theknowledge and practice on dysmenorrhea among the adolescence girls of Barahi Higher Secondary School.The major objective of this study was to assess the knowledge and practice regarding dysmenorrhea among adolescent girls. The study area was Barahi Higher Secondary School. Study design was cross sectional descriptive study.Face to face interview was applied to collect data among 104 respondents. Data collection technique were interview schedule and case study. Findings are presented using simple tables, charts and bar diagram. Demographic findings of the study revealed that most of the respondents 62.5 percent were of age 15-17 years where mean age was 15.5(Minimum age: 12 Years,Maximum age: 19 Years). Majority of the respondents were from grade 10. 86.5percent of the respondents were Hindu and most of the respondents were belonging to Brahmin/Chettri by ethnicity. Most of respondents 76.9 percent were living in nuclear family. The study showed that prevalence of the dysmenorrhoea was 75.96 percent.The mean age of menarche was 12.5 years with a range of 10 to 15 years. Most of the respondents were kept separated from their family during their first menstruation. 52.8 percent had experience for excessive bleeding and mostly in 40.1 percent of respondents’ duration of bleeding days lasting for 5 days.Majority of the respondents 81.7 percent use sanitary pad at the time of menstrual cycle.Most of the respondents 80.8 percent have heard about the menstruation before menarche and 94.2 percent of respondents had heard about the dysmenorrhoea where mother and sisters were found to be the source for information. Many of them 60.6 percent don’t know about the causes of dysmenorrhoea and among those 39.4 percent who knew about the cause claimed high for hormonal, and early menarche. Regarding the major problem faced,most of the respondents 81.7 percent claimed Pain in lower abdomen followed by 56.7 percent back pain. The respondents classify the major symptoms for V dysmenorrhoea to be as feelings of heaviness in lower abdomen by 73.1 percent,tiredness 45.2 percent and inability to concentrate in work in 39.4 percent. 76.9 percent perceived it as a natural process. Severity of pain was felt mild by 39.3 percent, moderate by 36.7 percent and severe by 24.0 percent of the respondents.Most of the respondents 72.2 percent do rest for avoiding dysmenorrheal pain. Hot,spicy and oily food was most preferred food by almost 51.9 percent of respondents.Only 20.2 percent remain absent from school during menstruation while majority of the respondents 69.2 percent practiced social restriction. 48.1 percent of the dysmenorrhoic respondents stated that their daily activities was sometimes affected by dysmenorrhea. For the management practice of dysmenorrhoea majority of the respondent over 45 percent perform home remedy, 19 percent take painkiller, 26.6 percent do nothing and least 8.9percent visit hospital. Majority of respondents 40.0 percent had good knowledge regarding dysmenorrhea followed by 31.7 percent and 19.2 percent poor knowledge. Late adolescents had good knowledge about dysmenorrhea than early adolescents. The respondents with bachelor level educated mother had good knowledge. Similarly respondents whose mother was abroad had good knowledge regarding dysmenorrhea. Out of 79 respondents suffering from dysmenorrhea, 79.8 percent had satisfactory level of practice and 20.2 percent had poor level of practice. Respondents following Hindu religion 79.8%) had satisfactory management. Majority of the respondents 81.2 percent belonging to joint family had satisfactory level of practice than respondents belonging to nuclear family. This study may not reflect the scenario of the country as a whole but several suchre searches carried out in different social and cultural contest in Nepal can reflect thescenario of dysmenorrhea. Traditional beliefs regarding menstruation still persist and menstrual hygiene among the adolescents was found to be unsatisfactory. It high lights the need of targeted interventions to raise awareness and provision of family health education package to all girls. Menstrual hygiene is an issue that needs to bead dressed at all levels.