article · BMJ Open
A cross-sectional study in Ethiopia evaluated the prevalence, risk factors, and academic impact of dysmenorrhoea among 647 graduating female university students. Dysmenorrhoea was identified in 51.5 percent of the participants, defined as painful menses that disrupts normal activities and requires medication. Factors showing a statistically significant link to the condition included chocolate consumption, irregular menstrual cycles, a positive family history of dysmenorrhoea, paternal educational status, and eating breakfast fewer than five days per week. Despite the high prevalence and physical severity of symptoms, an analysis of self-reported cumulative grade point averages revealed no statistically significant difference in academic performance between students who experienced dysmenorrhoea and those who did not. The findings indicate that while menstrual pain is widespread, it does not measurably reduce overall academic achievement.
Dysmenorrhoea affects a substantial proportion of female university students, causing distress severe enough to disrupt daily routines and necessitate medication. Demonstrating that the condition does not degrade cumulative academic achievement helps contextualise its functional effects. This evidence allows campus health personnel to focus on managing the physical and psychological burdens of menstrual pain directly without presuming an inevitable decline in academic results.
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OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to provide an association between dysmenorrhoea and academic performance among university students in Ethiopia. Further, the study attempts to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of dysmenorrhoea. DESIGN AND METHOD: Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 1 April to 28 April 2019. A semistructured and pretested self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Binary logistic regression analysis and one-way analysis of variance were performed to model dysmenorrhoea and academic performance, respectively. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Ethiopia (2019: n=647 female university students). OUTCOMES: The primary outcome is dysmenorrhoea, which has been defined as painful menses that prevents normal activity and requires medication. The self-reported cumulative grade point average of students was used as a proxy measure of academic performance, which is the secondary outcome. RESULTS: The prevalence of dysmenorrhoea was 317 (51.5%). The educational status of father (adjusted OR (AOR) (95% CI) 2.64 (1.04 to 6.66)), chocolate consumption (AOR (95% CI) 3.39 (95% 1.28 to 8.93)), daily breakfast intake (<5 days/week) (AOR (95% CI) 0.63 (0.42 to 0.95)), irregular menstrual cycle AOR (95% CI) 2.34 (1.55 to 3.54)) and positive family history of dysmenorrhoea AOR (95% CI) 3.29 (2.25 to 4.81)) had statistically significant association with dysmenorrhoea. There was no statistically significant difference in academic performance among students with and without dysmenorrhoea (F (3611)=1.276, p=0.28)). CONCLUSIONS: Dysmenorrhoea was a common health problem among graduating University students. However, it has no statistically significant impact on academic performance. Reproductive health officers should educate and undermine the negative academic consequences of dysmenorrhoea to reduce the physical and psychological stress that happens to females and their families.
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DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043814
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