Prevalence and pattern of dysmenorrhea among secondary school girls in Enugu Metropolis: A cross-sectional study

Background: Globally, dysmenorrhea is a common menstrual condition among adolescent girls. It interferes with the emotions and physical activities and adversely affects school attendance and performance. However, the prevalence and pattern of presentation are underexplored in Nigeria. Objective: The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence and patterns of dysmenorrhea and its effect on school attendance in adolescent girls in Enugu, South-East, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This study is a population-based cross-sectional survey of the prevalence and pattern of dysmenorrhea among 326 secondary school girls in Enugu Metropolis between October and December 2019. A structured questionnaire was used to collect relevant information. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) IBM version 23.0. Chi square was used to test for association between categorical variables, and a P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 75%. Majority of the students (60.7%) had 1–2 days of menstrual pain, with 39.3% presenting with severe pain. The length of menstrual cycle (P < 0.011) and duration of flow (P < 0.009) were significantly higher among subjects with dysmenorrhea than those without dysmenorrhea. Forty-six students (14.1%) were absent from school due to dysmenorrhea; however, there was no significant association between dysmenorrhea and school absenteeism (P > 0.05). Also, there was no significant association between degree of pain and school absenteeism (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was high among secondary school girls in Enugu, Nigeria. It was associated with the length of menstrual cycle and duration of flow. There was no association between degree of dymenorrhean and school absenteeism.