AUTHOR=Dar Mamoona , Khan Amjad , Shah Syed Sikandar , Aleem Ayesha , Jaber Ammar Ali Saleh , Hussain Mulazim , Khan Gul Majid 

TITLE=Evaluation of health-related quality of life of female students suffering from primary dysmenorrhea: findings of a cross-sectional study from Pakistan

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1467377

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2025.1467377

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=BackgroundPrimary 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.MethodologyThis 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.ResultsThe 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.ConclusionThis 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.