Self-Esteem and Quality Of Life among Women with the Menstrual Disorder at a Public Hospital

Abstract

Introduction: The regularity of menstrual cycles is considered an important indicator of women’s reproductive health. Menstrual disorders such as dysmenorrhea, menorrhagia, and irregular cycles are common among women in reproductive age groups. They are responsible for physical, behavioural, and emotional changes around the menstruation period, leading to changes of normal routine. This study aimed to determine different types of menstrual irregularity, demographic association, self-esteem, and quality of life of women experiencing menstrual disorders at reproductive age. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using the adopted Rosenberg Self-Esteem Score (RSES) and World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire among 253 women aged 18 to 49 who attended the Gynaecology Clinic at a public hospital in Klang Valley. Results: Dysmenorrhea was observed in 224 (88.5%) women. The majority of the respondent have a normal self-esteem level based on RSES score. The respondent’s quality of life (QOL) score was average between 58 to 62%. Finding revealed a direct linear relationship between self-esteem and quality of life among respondents (p<0.001). According to the domain QOL, positive association for QOL was found with age, educational level, marital status, and body mass index (p<0.005), respectively with physical, social relationship and environment domain. Conclusion: There is a need for the Ministry of Health to evaluate current practice for improving women’s reproductive health through menstruation-efficient interventions, to prevent the negative impact on self-esteem and quality of life. Future research should explore in-depth women’s perceptions to understand better how menstrual problems affect their self-esteem and quality of life.