Experiences of undergraduates with dysmenorrhea: understanding the limitations of pharmacological management

INTRODUCTION: It has become imperative to revisit facilitating factors of dysmenorrheal painful menstruation in order to further understand contributory habits common in the affected population. Hence, the present study aimed to explore lifestyles common among female students experiencing dysmenorrhea. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The survey was carried out among 358 female students. Data were obtained using a researcher-administered questionnaire from a sample size of 208 that was derived using the multistage sampling method. The descriptive method of analysis was used to analyze responses from respondents. RESULTS: It was revealed that 175 (89.7%) experience dysmenorrhea, which is higher than the number of respondents (42.6%) with a family history of dysmenorrhea, and dysmenorrheal symptoms of 106 (60.6%) of respondents are aggravated by excessive intake of sweet drinks/snacks. On a 5-point Likert scale with criterion mean 3, management of dysmenorrhea among respondents shows that they likely needed medication (3.93 ±0.72), used prescribed medications from varying sources (3.31 ±1.47), with an increased likelihood to use any home remedies or self-care such as herbal mixtures and assuming a comfortable body position (3.42 ±1.35) to ease period pain. CONCLUSIONS: Critical empirical consideration is needed to review non-pharmacological interventions to relieve painful menstruation following a rise in the incidence of dysmenorrhea.