Prevalence and pattern of menstrual disorders among Lebanese nursing students

Abstract

Menstrual disorders frequently affect the quality of life of adolescents and young adult women and can be indicators of serious underlying problems. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and pattern of menstrual symptoms among nursing students in Beirut, Lebanon. Of 352 students completing a written questionnaire, the most common menstrual disorders were irregular frequency of menstruation (80.7%), premenstrual syndrome (54.0%), irregular duration of menstruation (43.8%), dysmenorrhoea (38.1%), polymenorrhoea (37.5%) and oligomenorrhoea (19.3%). On logistic regression analysis, there were significant associations between irregular cycles and marital status (OR 2.18) and menarcheal age (OR 4.76); oligomenorrhoea and residency (OR 2.06) and menarcheal age (OR 3.17); abnormal blood loss and menarcheal age (OR 6.92); dysmenorrhoea and marital status (OR 8.93) and residency (OR 2.04); and premenstrual syndrome and marital status (OR 2.10). Dysmenorrhoea and premenstrual symptoms were serious enough to affect daily activities or academic attendance in many cases and this is a concern for policy-makers.