Assessment and evaluation of knowledge and impact of dysmenorrhea among nursing students in Punjab

Abstract

Primary dysmenorrhoea is defined as painful menses in women with normal pelvic anatomy, usually beginning during adolescence. It is characterized by crampy pelvic pain beginning shortly before or at the onset of menses and lasting 1 to 3 days. It is a common cause for sickness, absenteeism from classes and work by the female student community. The main aim of the study was to assess knowledge and impact of dysmenorrhoea among students. This was a descriptive study conducted at Swift Institute of Nursing, Ghaggar Sarai, Rajpura. A sample of 100 students was selected by proportionate random sampling. The tools used for data collection were structured knowledge questionnaire, Verbal Rating Scale and Impact scale. The findings showed that (48%) of students were having good knowledge and (41%), (08%) and (03%) of students were having average, very good and poor knowledge regarding dysmenorrhoea and its treatment respectively. The findings also revealed that (56%) of students were moderately affected from dysmenorrhoea whereas (39%) and (05%) of students were affected mildly and severely from dysmenorrhoea respectively. There was a significant association of knowledge of dysmenorrhoea and its treatment with course of Nursing. The study concluded that none of the students was unaffected from dysmenorrhoea.