TITLE:
Prevalence of Dysmenorrhea among Female Adolescents in Dubai: A Cross-Sectional Study
AUTHORS:
Amal Al Mulla, Ghassan Lotfi, Amar Hassan Khamis
KEYWORDS:
Adolescence, Dysmenorrhea, Endometriosis, Menstruation, Dubai, UAE
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.12 No.8,
August
3,
2022
ABSTRACT: 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.