International ArticlesPrimary dysmenorrhea in young Western Australian women: prevalence, impact, and knowledge of treatment
Section snippets
Method
The subjects were girls from Grades 11 and 12 at three Perth metropolitan secondary schools, one a single-sex private school and the other two coeducational state high schools. One of the state high schools was located in an area of relatively high socioeconomic status (SES), and the other was in an area of relatively low SES. At two of the schools, the subjects comprised all of the girls in Grades 11 and 12 who were present at the time the survey was conducted. At the third and larger school,
Results
The questionnaire was handed to 389 girls and all but 1 completed it. Almost half of the respondents (47.4%) were from the private school, 34.3% from the state high school in the higher SES area, and 18.3% from the state high school in the lower SES area.
The age range of the girls was between 15 and 17 years. All except 4 of the 388 girls responding had undergone menarche. The mean age at menarche was 12.7 years, with a range of 9–16 years.
Discussion
Our study found the prevalence of dysmenorrhea in 15–17-year-old girls in Perth, Western Australia, to be 80%, which is consistent with other studies of populations of similar ages. One American study found that the prevalence of dysmenorrhea in 15-, 16-, and 17-year-old girls was approximately 65%, 70%, and 72%, respectively (4). Similarly, a more recent study of adolescents <18 years of age found a prevalence of 80% (14).
The literature quotes the prevalence of primary dysmenorrhoea to range
Conclusion
The alarmingly high prevalence and impact of dysmenorrhea, coupled with the lack of treatment knowledge, presents a significant public health problem that requires attention. Education of pre- and postmenarchal girls as well as the general community is vital in ensuring that dysmenorrhea is no longer seen as a problem that must be accepted without complaint. Promoting increased awareness and use of effective treatment measures should be a priority. It must be understood that if the employed
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Frank Sanfilippo, UWA Department of Public Health, for assistance with the analysis.
References (20)
- et al.
Adolescent dysmenorrhoea
Paediatr Clin North Am
(1981) Cyclic pelvic pain and dysmenorrhoea
Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am
(1993)Prostaglandins, prostaglandin inhibitors and their roles in gynaecological disorders
Baillieres Clin Obst Gynaecol
(1992)Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and changing attitudes toward dysmenorrhoea
Am J Med
(1988)Level of knowledge among adolescent girls regarding effective treatment for dysmenorrhoea
J Adolesc Health Care
(1988)- et al.
An epidemiologic study of young women with dysmenorrhoea
Am J Obstet Gynecol
(1982) - et al.
A survey of adolescent dysmenorrhoea and premenstrual symptom frequency
J Adolesc Health Care
(1989) - et al.
The prevalence of dysmenorrhoea, dyspareunia, pelvic pain, and irritable bowel syndrome in primary care practices
Obstet Gynecol
(1996) - et al.
Epidemiology of adolescent dysmenorrhoea
Paediatrics
(1981) - et al.
Current status of the aetiology and management of dysmenorrhoea in adolescence
Paediatrics
(1982)
Cited by (210)
Mobile Application Measurement of Menstrual Cycle Characteristics and Their Association with Dysmenorrhea and Activity Limitation in Early Adolescents
2023, Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent GynecologyEvaluation of a web-based resource to improve menstrual health literacy and self-management in young women
2022, Journal of Psychosomatic ResearchDysmenorrhea in adolescents
2022, Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health CareSecondary School Girls’ Experiences of Menstruation and Awareness of Endometriosis: A Cross-Sectional Study
2021, Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent GynecologyMenstrual Health Literacy and Management Strategies in Young Women in Australia: A National Online Survey of Young Women Aged 13-25 Years
2021, Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology