title: Management of perimenstrual symptoms among young Taiwanese nursing students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency and distribution of medications used by Taiwanese nursing students for dysmenorrhoea and to investigate potential associations between perimenstrual symptoms and selection of medications.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Dysmenorrhoea is a symptom-complex. It is also the leading cause of short-term school absence and is associated with a negative impact on academic and daily activities. The effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicines and Western medications for ameliorating dysmenorrhoea has been well-documented. However, no publications were found to examine the selection of traditional Chinese medicines, Western medications or teas among Taiwanese women for the management of dysmenorrhoea and related symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Management of Menstrual Cramps Survey was distributed to a convenience sample of 2758 female nursing students in Southern Taiwan. Content validity and inter-rater reliability were applied to evaluate the measure. The descriptive statistics and chi-square comparisons were calculated where appropriate for each of the items of the questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Perimenstrual symptoms were statistically significant indicators for the use of any combination of Western medications, traditional Chinese medicines or teas. Data revealed that there were statistically significant association between perimenstrual symptoms and the uses of traditional Chinese medicines (χ(2)  = 3·876, df = 1, p = 0·031) or Western medications (χ(2) =( ) 10·171, df = 1, p < 0·01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Panadol and Si-Wu-Tang were the most frequently used medications among Western medicines and traditional Chinese medicines, respectively. However, Western medications were used for a broader spectrum of symptoms than traditional Chinese medicines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings have implications for professional nurses, nurse researchers and society. Nurses teach and promote health, which includes the communication of medication-related information. To teach young women in Taiwan about the options available for relief of perimenstrual symptoms is significant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing, Fooyin University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. ns227@mail.fy.edu.tw
authors.forename: Han-Fu
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003625:Data Collection; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013338:Students, Nursing; D013624:Taiwan; D055815:Young Adult