Prevalence and Factors Associated with Dysmenorrhea in Parakou, Benin

Background: Dysmenorrhea is a common symptom of gynecology that causes social and economic disruption in the lives of women who suffer from it. But many of them consider it inevitable and do not consult a health worker. Knowing the factors associated with this condition could help reduce its frequency and impact. Objective: To determine the prevalence and factors associated with dysmenorrhea in Benin in 2017. Method: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study from 17 April to 17 May 2017. It involved 822 women aged 15 to 44 selected by a cluster sampling technique. Information on socio-demographic characteristics, functional signs, and medical care was collected using questionnaires. The relationship between these factors and dysmenorrhea was analyzed using the chi2 test. The protocol was accepted by the ethics committee for biomedical research of the University of Parakou. The patients had given their informed consent. Results: The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 72.6% (95% CI = [69.48;75.57]). Dysmenorrhea was predominantly primary (75%). 6.9% of women suffering from dysmenorrhea were using oral contraceptive. Asthenia and irritability are the most common accompanying signs of dysmenorrhea in 68.2% and 54.4% of cases respectively. Age, marital status, socio-professional occupation, educational level and parity were the factors associated (P < 0.001) with dysmenorrhea. A proportion of 87.3% of women suffering from dysmenorrhea had no medical care. Conclusion: The prevalence of dysmenorrhea is high in our climes. It would be important to raise awareness among women for medical and psychosocial care taking into account associated factors.