Prevalence, Symptom management and outcome of Primary Dysmenorrhea among Elementary Student, Muang district, Chanthaburi

Abstract

This descriptive research aimed to determine the prevalence of menstruation and to examine the incidence and outcomes of symptom management of primary dysmenorrhea among senior elementary school

students in Muang District, Chanthaburi Province. Research sample were 333 female students studying in elementary school (grade 4-6), Chanthaburi Primary Educational Service Area Office 1 in the year 2021 consisting of Saritdidet School, Anuban Chanthaburi School and Bankaew School. Research instruments included personal data and questionnaires about dysmenorrhea symptom management and the outcomes of menstrual pain management, reliability level = .85. Data were conducted between August 2021 and March 2022. Data were analyzed by frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation and content analysis.

The results illustrated that the prevalence of menstruation among senior elementary school students were 78.7 percent which pain score less than 7 and more than 7 were 63.2 and 15.5 percent respectively. Menstruation affected their daily life associating with their mood (41.5 percent), their learn (24.9 percent) and their rest (22.7 precent). Menstrual pain management methods which the students managed their pain were by taking painkillers when having severe pain (51.6 percent), when the pain started (31.4 percent) and before having menstruation (13.7 percent). The popular methods of managing menstrual pain without taking medicine were resting in bed, avoiding coconut juice and drinking hot or warm water respectively. The outcomes of the symptom management were the improvement in their learning, mood and quality of life.