Table 1 Socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle habits and the menstrual pattern of the study participants (N = 550)
From: Prevalence, risk factors, and management practices of primary dysmenorrhea among young females
Characteristic | n (%)a | Dysmenorrhea | Pc | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
No n = 105 (19.1%)b | Yes n = 445 (80.9%)b | |||
Academic specialization | Â | Â | Â | 0.003d |
 Medical | 275 (50) | 39 (14.2) | 236 (85.8) |  |
 Non-medical | 275 (50) | 66 (24) | 209 (76) |  |
Academic level | Â | Â | Â | 0.46 |
 Undergraduate | 478 (86.9) | 89 (18.6) | 389 (81.4) |  |
 Postgraduate | 72 (13.1) | 16 (22.3) | 56 (77.7) |  |
Age (mean = 21.82, SD =  ± 2.77, range = 18–30) |  |  |  | 0.11 |
 18–24 | 463 (84.2) | 83 (17.9) | 380 (82.1) |  |
 > 25 | 87 (15.8) | 22 (25.2) | 65 (74.8) |  |
BMI category (Kg/m2, mean = 22.2, SD =  ± 3.38, range = 15.2–37.5) |  |  |  | 0.21 |
 Underweight (< 18.5) | 59 (10.7) | 7 (11.8) | 52 (88.2) |  |
 Normal weight (18.5–24.9) | 394 (71.6) | 84 (21.3) | 310 (78.7) |  |
 Overweight (25–29.9) | 78 (14.2) | 11 (14.1) | 67 (85.9) |  |
 Obese (≥ 30) | 19 (3.5) | 3 (15.8) | 16 (84.2) |  |
Marital status | Â | Â | Â | 0.01 |
 Single | 514 (93.5) | 92 (17.9) | 422 (82.1) |  |
 Married | 36 (6.5) | 13 (36.1) | 23 (63.9) |  |
Parity |  |  |  | < 0.001d |
 No | 522 (94.9) | 93 (17.8) | 429 (82.2) |  |
 Yes | 28 (5.1) | 12 (42.8) | 16 (57.2) |  |
Smoke | Â | Â | Â | 0.21 |
 No | 413 (75.1) | 84 (20.3) | 329 (79.7) |  |
 Yes | 137 (24.9) | 21 (15.3) | 116 (84.7) |  |
Alcohol | Â | Â | Â | 0.84 |
 No | 502 (91.3) | 95 (18.9) | 407 (81.1) |  |
 Yes | 48 (8.7) | 10 (20.8) | 38 (79.2) |  |
Family history of dysmenorrhea |  |  |  | < 0.001d |
 No | 262 (47.6) | 73 (27.8) | 189 (72.2) |  |
 Yes | 288 (52.4) | 32 (11.2) | 256 (88.8) |  |
History of weight loss attempt within the last year | Â | Â | Â | 0.001d |
 No | 251 (45.6) | 63 (25.1) | 188 (74.9) |  |
 Yes | 299 (54.4) | 42 (14) | 257 (86) |  |
Exercise (mean time = 1.32 h/week, SD =  ± 2.55, range = 0–21) |  |  |  | 0.01d |
 No | 295 (53.6) | 55 (18.6) | 240 (81.4) |  |
 Once to twice weekly | 158 (28.7) | 32 (20.2) | 126 (79.8) |  |
 Three to four times weekly | 63 (11.5) | 8 (12.7) | 55 (87.3) |  |
 Five to six times weekly | 18 (3.3) | 2 (11.2) | 16 (88.8) |  |
 On daily basis | 16 (2.9) | 8 (50) | 8 (50) |  |
Menarcheal age (mean = 12.35 years, SD =  ± 1.34) |  |  |  | 0.32 |
 9–11 (early onset) | 129 (23.5) | 20 (15.5) | 109 (84.5) |  |
 12–14 (Normative onset) | 395 (71.8) | 80 (20.2) | 315(79.8) |  |
 15–16 (Late onset) | 26 (4.7) | 5 (19.2) | 21 (80.8) |  |
Period regularity | Â | Â | Â | 0.43 |
 Irregular | 77 (14) | 12 (15.5) | 65 (84.5) |  |
 Regular | 473 (86) | 93 (19.6) | 380 (80.4) |  |
Menstrual cycle length (mean = 28.52 days, SD =  ± 3.51, range = 20–45) |  |  |  | 0.09 |
 21–35 days | 520 (94.5) | 103 (19.8) | 417 (80.2) |  |
 < 21 or > 35 days | 30 (5.5) | 2 (6.6) | 28 (93.4) |  |
Length of menstrual flow (mean = 6.04 days, SD =  ± 1.35, range = 2–14) |  |  |  | 0.56 |
 Normal (3–7 days) | 504 (91.6) | 98 (19.4) | 406 (80.6) |  |
 Abnormal (< 3 or > 7 days) | 46 (8.4) | 7 (15.2) | 39 (80.8) |  |
The intensity of menstrual blood flow |  |  |  | < 0.001* |
 Light | 31 (5.6) | 13 (41.9) | 18 (58.1) |  |
 Moderate | 412 (74.9) | 86 (20.8) | 326 (79.1) |  |
 Heavy | 107 (19.5) | 6 (5.6) | 101 (94.4) |  |