Dysmenorrhoea and its effects on school activities among adolescent girls in a rural school in Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract

The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of dysmenorrhoea, its associated factors and its effects on school activities among adolescent girls in a secondary school in a rural district of Selangor, Malaysia. This is a cross-sectional study conducted in a public secondary school. A stratified random sampling of 300 female students (12 to 17 years old) from Form one to Form five classes were selected. A self-administered questionnaire consisting of 20-items was used to collect sociodemographic and menstrual data. Pain intensity for dysmenorrhoea was measured by numerical rating scale. The prevalence of dysmenorrhoea was 62.3%. It was significantly higher in the middle adolescence (15 to 17 years old) age group (p=0.003), girls with regular menstrual cycle (p=0.007) and a positive family history (p<0.05). There was no significant association with mean age of menarche and duration of menstruation. The number of school and class absences increased with increasing severity of dysmenorrhoea (p<0.05). The mean pain score was significantly higher in girls who reported to be unable to participate in sports (p=0.008) and with poor concentration in class (p<0.05). Dysmenorrhoea among the adolescent girls was common in this rural school. It had significant negative impact in their school performance and activities