Physical Activity and Dysmenorrhea Among Female Allied Health Sciences Students in Peshawar, Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Dysmenorrhea is a common menstrual health problem among adolescents and young women and may interfere with daily functioning, academic participation, physical activity, and quality of life. Physical activity has been proposed as an accessible non-pharmacological strategy for reducing menstrual pain, although the association between habitual activity and dysmenorrhea remains complex. This study examined physical activity levels and their association with dysmenorrhea among female Allied Health Sciences students at Iqra National University, Peshawar, Pakistan. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 234 female students aged 18–25 years. Participants were recruited using convenience sampling. Demographic information, body mass index, physical activity, dysmenorrhea status, and pain-related information were collected. Physical activity was assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity, while menstrual pain and symptoms were assessed using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale and Cox Menstrual Symptom Scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27 with descriptive statistics, chi-square analysis, independent-samples t test, Pearson correlation, and binary logistic regression. Participants had a mean age of 20.40 ± 1.61 years and mean BMI of 21.45 ± 0.77 kg/m². Dysmenorrhea was reported by 45.1% of participants. The most frequent RAPA score was 4 (58.5%). A statistically significant association between RAPA score and dysmenorrhea was reported (χ² = 22.728, df = 30, p = .03). The correlation between pain level and RAPA score was statistically significant but very weak (r = .070, p = .03). Mean dysmenorrhea scores were also very similar between physically active and sedentary groups. Physical activity was statistically associated with dysmenorrhea in this sample, but the magnitude of the observed relationships was small. The findings support a multifactorial understanding of dysmenorrhea and indicate that physical activity should be considered as one component of broader menstrual-health assessment and management rather than as an isolated determinant.

Keywords: dysmenorrhea; female students; GPAQ; menstrual pain; Pakistan; physical activity; physiotherapy; RAPA.

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23019040