The Methods of Young Women to Cope with Dysmenorrhea

Abstract

Objective: Current study was carried out to determine coping methods of young women with dysmenorrhea. Method: The universe of this descriptive cross-sectional type study was formed of the female students of Medical Sciences Faculty of a University. A totalof 419 student who had dysmenorrhea complaints and accepted to take part in study was taken as the sample of the study. Data of study were collected by face-to-face interviews realized between 15, and 20 of March 2018 by using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and a survey form which had 19 questions about sociodemographic characteristics and coping methods with dysmenorrhea of young women. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney U test in the SPSS 20.0 package program. Results: The mean age of the participants was 20.18±1.87 (18-30) years and the mean pain severity according to VAS was 6.35±1.97 (0-10). When coping with dysmenorrhea, 48% of them did not want to use drugs and 80% of them used non-pharmacological applications including rubbing the abdominal region (86%), heat application to the feet (84%), massage (75%), and drinking green tea (47%). The mean pain severity of drug users was significantly higher than that of non-drug users (Z=-4.549, p=.000). There was no significant difference in pain intensity averages between non-drug users and non-drug users (Z=-1.024, p=.306). There was no significant difference between pain intensity averages according to the onset time of menstrual pain (Z=-1.040, p=.299). Conclusion:It was determined that participants preferred non-pharmacological methods in a large extent to cope with dysmenorrhea. So as to provide the evidence-based use and to avoid hazardous practices of non-pharmacological methods, case-control studies evaluating effects of these methods in decreasing the pain of dysmenorrhea should be conducted.

Examination of the effects of primary dysmenorrhea on daily life of young women and treatment approaches

“…In the current study, VAS was also used, and the average pain severity according to VAS in women with dysmenorrhea was determined to be 6.51±2.10 (on a scale of 0-10). When looking at studies in the literature, Yılmaz et al [16] found an average pain severity of 6.35±1.97 in women with dysmenorrhea; Helwa et al [17] found an average pain severity of 6.79±2.64 in women with dysmenorrhea; Yılmaz and Başer [18] reported 6.3±2.02. The study findings are consistent with the literature.…”

“…However, different results have been obtained on this topic when reviewing the literature. Yılmaz et al [16] found that 51% of the participants used analgesic medication, and medication use significantly increased with the severity of pain. Ataş et al [7] found that 81.6% of students used analgesics.…”