Prevalencia y factores asociados a dismenorrea en estudiantes de ciencias de la salud

Abstract

Introduction: Dysmenorrhea has a prevalence between 60 and 93%. Different factors have been associated such as age at menarche, body mass index, exercise, smoking and maternal history of dysmenorrheaamong others. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study wasconducted, based on an anonymous survey applied to a random sample of127 women from the school of medicine and psychology at the Universidad Del Rosario. Results: The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 73%. 67% of participants presenting with menstrual pain, reportedthey have taken medication for pain relief, (66.7% self medicated). 32.5% of respondents with dysmenorrhea have been absent from theiracademic or social work, with a percentage of school absenteeismdue to pain from 74.5% in at least one day. The risk of dysmenorrhoeawas 2.36 times higher in women who had mothers with this history (OR = 2.36, 95% CI 1.03 to 5.40). No associations with other factors were found. Conclusions: Dysmenorrhea is a disease with a high prevalenceand significant impact on school absenteeism. Maternal history ofdysmenorrhea was the only factor positively associated in this study.

Keywords

• dysmenorrhea
• prevalence
• risk factors
• students
• self medication.