Awareness About the Effects of Access to Information, Diet and Exercise on Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Descriptive Study in Türkiye

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the awareness of the effects of access to information about menstruation, exercise, and diet on primary dysmenorrhea in women aged 18 to 26 years. Material and Methods: The study followed a descriptive research design where data was gathered in Türkiye using a Google Form questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of 4 sections and 21 questions. Data was collected during the period from October to December 2023 and statistical analysis was conducted. Results: A total of 370 women responded to the questionnaires with a mean age of 20.82±1.96. Only 12.20% of the participants reported that they were doing regular exercise and 18.60% paid attention to their dietary habits during menstruation. The majority of the women consumed tea for relieving menstrual pain (65.30%). A statistically significant relationship was found between women who received information about menstruation and those who were engaged in regular exercise (Χ2 =12.73, df=2, p=0.002). Similarly, there was a statistically significant relationship (Χ2 =8.5, df=2, p=0.014) between those who received information about menstruation and those who paid attention to their diet (p<0.05). Conclusion: The current study revealed that awareness among the participants was low about the role of exercise and diet in managing primary dysmenorrhea. On the other hand the participants who received information about menstruation did regular exercise and cared about their diet. This indicates the need to receive information about benefits of regular exercise and diet during menstruation from all health professionals, including pharmacists.