ATTITUDES OF FEMALE ADOLESCENTS ABOUT DYSMENORRHEA AND MENSTRUAL HYGIENE IN TEHRAN SUBURBS

Background – The aim of this study was to assess the level of knowledge, attitudes and behavior of female students, aged 15 to 18 years, with regard to dysmenorrhea and menstrual hygiene, in suburban districts of Tehran. Methods – The study applied a descriptive, cross-sectional method, in which 250 students were selected at random using a cluster random sampling method. The data were collected by applying a 44-item questionnaire. The reliability of the questionnaire was checked by Chronbach-Alpha method, which showed a correlation of 90%. Results – Seventy-seven percent of the subjects claimed that they had adequate knowledge of dysmenorrhea. But only 32% of these practiced personal hygiene, such as taking a bath, and used hygienic materials (i.e. sterile pads). About 33% of the subjects, avoided any physical activity or even mild exercise during menstrual period. Over 67% of the girls reported taking palliative medicine for their menstrual pain without consulting a doctor. Fifteen percent of the subjects stated that dysmenorrhea had interfered with their daily life activities and caused them to be absent from school from between 1 to 7 days a month. The prevalence of dysmenorrhea in this study was 71%. Conclusions – The main conclusion derived in this study was the necessity of educating female students about personal hygiene associated with their menstrual period and to adopt a healthy behavior, which includes: appropriate nutrition, exercise and physical activity, personal hygiene, and appropriate use of medications based on a physician.s prescription.