Publication:

Comparison of self-medication practice for dysmenorrhoea in medical, nursing and dental students

Background Dysmenorrhea is common in adolescent and young adult females and is responsible for impaired daily activities and significant absenteeism from college among female students. The self-treatment strategy varies among the students. Hence, the present study was done to analyse and compare the self-medication practice for dysmenorrhoea among medical, nursing and dental students.

Methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 188 female students with dysmenorrhoea in M. S. Ramaiah College Campus, Bangalore which included 62 medical, 63 nursing and 63 dental students. Data was collected with prevalidated questionnaire related to various aspects like demographic data, severity and duration of dysmenorrhoea and pattern of management in the three groups. Data collected was analysed using SPSS version 20.

Results The mean age of female students with dysmenorrhoea was 19.12±0.87 years. 28% students perceived hormonal changes as causative factor for dysmenorrhoea. About 92 (48.9%) were on self-medication and 46 (24.5%) of students used home remedies for dysmenorrhoea. Among 92 students drugscommonly used for self-medication were mefenemic acid+dicyclomine  (67.4%) followed by paracetamol (20.7%), ibuprofen (5.4%), dicyclomine (4.3%), and diclofenac (2.2%). NSAIDS such as mefenamic acid, paracetamol, ibuprofen, diclofenac were used commonly by students in the three groups.

Conclusions Dysmenorrhoea is a common cause for self-medication among young females. Self-medication practice for dysmenorrhoea was seen more in medical students where as non-pharmacological remedies in nursing and dental female students. NSAIDS like mefenamic acid and paracetamol are the mainstay of self-medication for dysmenorrhoea.