The Effect of Self-Care Strategies on Primary Dysmenorrhea among a Convenient Sample of Female Nursing Students

Background and aims: Primary dysmenorrhea is the most common
gynecologic complaint affecting adolescents and young women. Many university
students do not seek medical consultation and remain suffering from pain. It decreases
academic performance and is a cause of absenteeism in female students. A Quasiexperimental
study was conducted to study the effectiveness of self-care strategies in
primary dysmenorrhea and monthly hormonal concentrations. Subjects and methods:
The study was conducted in the College of Applied Medical Science, Shaqra University
in the academic year 2021-2022. A convenient sample of eighty-two female nursing
students volunteered to participate in the study, allocated into two groups the self-care
strategies group (46) and the control group (36). Three tools for data collection were
used; a structured interviewing questionnaire, a visual analogue scale, and menstrual
changes follow-up chart. The concentrations of follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing
hormone, 17-β-estradiol, progesterone, and prolactin were measured by Enzyme-Linked
Immunosorbent Assay. Other menstrual characteristics were also estimated using a
mobile phone applications. Results: The current study revealed that the severity of pain
and the associated symptoms was decreased in the self-care strategies group compared
to the control group, with a highly statistically significant difference found between
groups. Self-care strategies affected all the menstrual hormone concentrations
significantly (P<0.001) compared to the control group. Conclusion: Using self-care
strategies was very effective in relieving primary dysmenorrhea and improving
menstrual health in female nursing students. Recommendation: Considering self-care
strategies as one of an effective option for girls suffering from primary dysmenorrhea
and very important for menstrual health.