Abstract
Dysmenorrhea is a problem that affects a large percentage of young women worldwide. Alarmingly, the majority of these women choose to self-medicate rather than consult a healthcare professional, despite the risks involved. The present study aimed to explore the reasons why undergraduate nursing students do not consult health care professionals regarding their menstrual pain. A qualitative study was conducted using an open question: “Why didn’t you consult a healthcare professional?” within the context of a research project on primary dysmenorrhea among nursing students at the University of Huelva, Spain. The responses of 202 women were analyzed using content analysis. Three categories were identified: assessment of the pain experienced, expectations, and experiences of professional care and selfcare. We found a striking normalization of the problem; notably, students downplayed the importance of the problem, considering that it was not worth consulting a physician. Furthermore, there was a notable degree of self-medication using non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs). These results may be useful for orienting policies to raise social awareness of this problem and for designing health education strategies aimed at women with primary dysmenorrhea.
Highlights
Menstrual pain or dysmenorrhea is a problem affecting a large number of women of reproductive age
Primary dysmenorrhea is not caused by any identified organic cause, whereas secondary dysmenorrhea is associated with other pathologies, such as endometriosis [4,5]
The physiopathology of primary dysmenorrhea has been the subject of numerous studies; the main theory is currently based on an increase in the level of prostaglandins [1], the immune, neuroendocrine and vascular systems are involved [5,6,7]
Summary
Menstrual pain or dysmenorrhea is a problem affecting a large number of women of reproductive age. It is estimated that 50 to 90% of female university students globally, and approximately 75%. Of Spanish female university students [1,2] suffer from this problem. The main symptom is acute menstrual pain, frequently accompanied by other symptoms such as gastrointestinal disorders, dizziness, irritability, depression and bloating [2,3]. Two types of dysmenorrhea have been identified: primary and secondary. Primary dysmenorrhea is not caused by any identified organic cause, whereas secondary dysmenorrhea is associated with other pathologies, such as endometriosis [4,5]. A number of studies have linked primary dysmenorrhea to a decrease in quality of life, as well as absenteeism and attending work despite feeling ill during university education, which may negatively impact academic performance and have significant socio-economic consequences [6,7,8]
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