Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of dysmenorrhea among adolescents in Dubai, and its effect on their academic and athletic performance. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in t...Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of dysmenorrhea among adolescents in Dubai, and its effect on their academic and athletic performance. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in ten randomly selected private and government high schools in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Using both the English and Arabic translated version of the Women’s Health Symptom Survey Questionnaire World, data was collected from 456 female students of grades 7 - 12, aged 11 - 19 years. Results: Dysmenorrhea was a crucial problem reported by 432 (94.7%) of the participants. Of the total number, 208 (45%) participants reported experiencing severe pain during menstruation and 152 (33.4%) students reported being absent from school during every menstrual cycle. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were used by 147 (32.3%) students, and majority reported no or little improvement. The percentage of students who experienced menstrual pain with micturition or defecation was 43.1% and 46.7%, respectively. None of the participants reported the use of hormonal agents. Conclusion: The unexpected high number of female adolescents who reported symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea necessitating treatment, as well as subsequent school absenteeism, calls for implementation of a screening questionnaire for early detection of persistent primary dysmenorrhea. Moving from surgical to clinical diagnosis of endometriosis can contribute greatly to improving the quality of life and reproductivity of female adolescents with severe dysmenorrhea.展开更多
文摘Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of dysmenorrhea among adolescents in Dubai, and its effect on their academic and athletic performance. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in ten randomly selected private and government high schools in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Using both the English and Arabic translated version of the Women’s Health Symptom Survey Questionnaire World, data was collected from 456 female students of grades 7 - 12, aged 11 - 19 years. Results: Dysmenorrhea was a crucial problem reported by 432 (94.7%) of the participants. Of the total number, 208 (45%) participants reported experiencing severe pain during menstruation and 152 (33.4%) students reported being absent from school during every menstrual cycle. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were used by 147 (32.3%) students, and majority reported no or little improvement. The percentage of students who experienced menstrual pain with micturition or defecation was 43.1% and 46.7%, respectively. None of the participants reported the use of hormonal agents. Conclusion: The unexpected high number of female adolescents who reported symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea necessitating treatment, as well as subsequent school absenteeism, calls for implementation of a screening questionnaire for early detection of persistent primary dysmenorrhea. Moving from surgical to clinical diagnosis of endometriosis can contribute greatly to improving the quality of life and reproductivity of female adolescents with severe dysmenorrhea.
