Why Do Some Spanish Nursing Students with Menstrual Pain Fail to Consult Healthcare Professionals?

Juan Diego Ramos-Pichardo, Ángela María Ortega-Galán, María Teresa Iglesias-López, Ana Abreu-Sánchez and Elia Fernández-Martínez
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Juan Diego Ramos-Pichardo: Department of Nursing, University of Huelva, 21071 Huelva, Spain
Ángela María Ortega-Galán: Department of Nursing, University of Huelva, 21071 Huelva, Spain
María Teresa Iglesias-López: Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Crta. Pozuelo-Majadahonda km 1800, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223 Madrid, Spain
Ana Abreu-Sánchez: Department of Nursing, University of Huelva, 21071 Huelva, Spain
Elia Fernández-Martínez: Department of Nursing, University of Huelva, 21071 Huelva, Spain

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-14

Abstract: Dysmenorrhea is a problem that affects a large percentage of young women worldwide. Alarmingly, the majority of these women choose to self-medicate rather than consult a healthcare professional, despite the risks involved. The present study aimed to explore the reasons why undergraduate nursing students do not consult health care professionals regarding their menstrual pain. A qualitative study was conducted using an open question: “Why didn’t you consult a healthcare professional?” within the context of a research project on primary dysmenorrhea among nursing students at the University of Huelva, Spain. The responses of 202 women were analyzed using content analysis. Three categories were identified: assessment of the pain experienced, expectations, and experiences of professional care and selfcare. We found a striking normalization of the problem; notably, students downplayed the importance of the problem, considering that it was not worth consulting a physician. Furthermore, there was a notable degree of self-medication using non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs). These results may be useful for orienting policies to raise social awareness of this problem and for designing health education strategies aimed at women with primary dysmenorrhea.

Keywords: dysmenorrhea; menstrual pain; qualitative research; pain management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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