Abstract
Primary dysmenorrhea, refers to a prevalent menstrual disorder in women of the reproductive age which may interfere with the normal functioning of day-to-day activities. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of dysmenorrhea in undergraduates and the associated influence on their usual activities. Ethical approval was obtained for the research from the Ethics Review Committee, CINEC campus. Following validation of the questionnaire, it was circulated on-line to 364 undergraduate female students, aged 18-25 years, across 5 selected non-state universities in Colombo District, Sri Lanka. According to the obtained results, the prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea was 90% (n = 309). Around 42% of the participants reported mild pain associated with primary dysmenorrhea, whereas, 53% reported moderate pain. Furthermore, a small fraction of the participants reported severe pain which affected them to complete their day-to-day activities. Recurrent symptoms associated with primary dysmenorrhea were identified as lower abdominal pain 95%, thigh pain 57%, and back pain 46% from all participants. The Chi-square test showed a significant association between primary dysmenorrhea and family history (p < 0.001). Moreover, frequency of occurrence of pain was significantly associated with duration of menstrual bleeding (no. of days > 5) (p < 0.001). Most of the respondents experience difficulty in sleeping 73% and difficulty in moving 48%. Associated methods of pain relief were consumption of analgesics 74% and bed rest 64%. Despite the significant prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea and corresponding inconveniences, only 19% had visited a specialist for medical advice. It could be concluded that primary dysmenorrhea is a significant issue which impacts day-to-day activities.