Abstract
BACKGROUND: Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is a global public health problem affecting the quality of life of menstruating women. This study aimed to assess the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of female students experiencing PD. METHODOLOGY: This cross-sectional study included 484 female students (aged 16-31 years) from different educational institutes in Sargodha, Pakistan from October 2021 to November 2022. Demographic and menstrual characteristics were collected through interviews using a purpose-developed data collection form, whereas HRQoL was evaluated using the EuroQol-5 Dimensions-5 Level (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaire. Data were analyzed using either Mann-Whitney tests or Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance with SPSS version 23. RESULTS: The mean age (SD) of the participants was 22.41 (3.5) years. The majority of participants were aged 21-25 years (58.9%), unmarried (86.2%), had a normal BMI (68.6%), had a family history of PD (58.1%), experienced a regular menstrual cycle (79.8%), and exhibited moderate PD (48.9%). Statistically significant differences in participants' EQ-5D index scores were observed based on the bleeding duration (p = 0.015), the length of the menstrual cycle (p = 0.004), cycle regularity (p = 0.022), family history (p = 0.027) how long the PD symptoms last (p < 0.001), and the season in which the PD pain is experienced the most (p < 0.001). Moreover, the EQ-VAS score also showed statistically significant differences based on the length of the menstrual cycle (p = 0.007), how long the PD symptoms last (p < 0.001), and the season in which the PD pain is experienced the most (p < 0.001). 51.7% of participants preferred heat application among the various lifestyle modifications to manage PD. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) negatively impacts health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Therefore, it is essential to explore effective interventions while raising awareness and improving access to medical care in Pakistan to enhance the HRQoL and well-being of women.