title: Dysmenorrhea among female medical students in King Abdulaziz University: Prevalence, Predictors and outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence, predictors and outcome of dysmenorrhea among female medical students in King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted among 435 medical students at KAU, Jeddah selected through stratified random sample method. A pre-constructed, validated, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect personal and socio-demographic information. Data about menstrual history, stress, smoking were also collected. The severity of dysmenorrhea was scored by the "Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)". Descriptive and analytical statistics were conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 60.9%. Logistic regression showed that heavy period was the first predictor of dysmenorrhea (aOR=1.94; 95% CI: 1.29- 2.91), followed by stress (aOR=1.90; 95% C.I.: 1.19-3.07). The prevalence of severe dysmenorrhea among the sufferers was 38.6%. Depressed mood was the commonest (80.8%) symptom accompanying dysmenorrhea. Regarding the outcome of dysmenorrhea, 67.5% of the sufferes reported emotional instability, while 28.3% reported absenteeism from the university.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high prevalence of dysmenorrhea was prevalent among medical students in King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Health promotion, screening programs, and stress management courses are recommended.
authors: Nahla Khamis Ibrahim, Professor, Family & Community Medicine Dept., Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Epidemiology Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
authors: Nahla Khamis
authors: NK
authors: Ibrahim
authors: Manar Saleh AlGhamdi, Fifth Year Medical Students, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Manar Saleh
authors: MS
authors: AlGhamdi
authors: Alanoud Nawaf Al-Shaibani, Fifth Year Medical Students, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Alanoud Nawaf
authors: AN
authors: Al-Shaibani
authors: Fatima Ali AlAmri, Fifth Year Medical Students, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Fatima Ali
authors: FA
authors: AlAmri
authors: Huda Abdulrahman Alharbi, Fifth Year Medical Students, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Huda Abdulrahman
authors: HA
authors: Alharbi
authors: Arwa Kheder Al-Jadani, Fifth Year Medical Students, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Arwa Kheder
authors: AK
authors: Al-Jadani
authors: Raghad Ahmed Alfaidi, Fifth Year Medical Students, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Raghad Ahmed
authors: RA
authors: Alfaidi
keywords: Dysmenorrhea; Outcome and Visual Analogue Scale; Predictors; Prevalence