Abstract:

Background: Dysmenorrhea is a severe painful cramping sensation in the lower abdomen and /or back. May influence life quality of female adolescents but many adolescents consider it as normal part of menstrual cycle for this reason few seek medical treatment. This study was conducted to determine the attitude and healthcare seeking behaviours towards dysmenorrhea among female students in Mwanza secondary school in Nyamagana district.

Methodology: The study was descriptive cross-sectional study. Convenience sampling was used to select 286 consenting respondents. Semi structured questionnaire were used to gather concerning knowledge, attitude and healthcare seeking behaviours.

Results: A total number of 286 female adolescents aged 12-21 years were involved in the study. The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 69.2%. 58% had low knowledge and 67.8% had negative attitude towards dysmenorrhea. Impacts of dysmenorrhea included poor concentration, absenteeism and lower performance in school. Many, 40.8% self-medicate themselves to alleviate menstrual pain, 91.8% were not aware of side effects of those drugs. Findings also showed significant association between attitude and healthcare seeking behaviours.

Conclusion: Findings from this study highlight the need for information, education, healthcare awareness combined with clinical management to be core elements of reproductive health programs towards dysmenorrhea in the society.