Severity and relation of primary dysmenorrhea and body mass index in undergraduate students of Karachi: A cross sectional survey.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of primary dysmenorrhea and its association with body mass index in female students. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted from January to March, 2018, in two districts of Karachi, and comprised female undergraduate students aged 15-25 years who had reached menarche at an appropriate age. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to assess dysmenorrhea while Seca scale was used for nutritional status. The association between body mass index and dysmenorrhea was worked out statistically using SPSS 23. RESULTS: Of the 410 students approached, 384(93.6%) responded. They had a mean age of 21±5.2 years. Dysmenorrhea was mild in 150(39%) subjects, 145(37.8%) moderate and 89(23.2%) severe. Overall, 273(71.1%) subjects had reached menarche aged 8-13 years. Dysmenorrhea was associated with radiating pain in 265(69%) and vomiting in 111(28.9%) subjects. Nutritional status was normal in 235(61.2%) subjects, 88(22.9%) were underweight, and 61(15.9%) were overweight and obese. Significant difference was observed in dysmenorrhea among underweight students (p<0.05). Age ?21 years also had a significant association with dysmenorrhea (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Dysmenorrhea was found to have a significant association with body mass index and age.

Prevalence and Predictors of Violence Against Women in Pakistan.

Violence against Pakistani women occurs at an alarming prevalence that reflects a significant risk to the health of women and families. Understanding violence against women in Pakistan comes with methodological and cultural complexities. Many of the studies examining prevalence and predictors of violence against women tend to utilize convenience samples contributing to the possibility of an inflated prevalence. Due to the patriarchal family structure and cultural context, domestic violence is normalized resulting in extremely low reporting rates. The present study utilizes a sample of ever-married Pakistani women collected across five provinces to shed light on the prevalence and predictors of women that experience domestic violence (emotional or physical abuse). Data were obtained from the 2012-2013 Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey including a large sample of Pakistani women from five provinces (Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit Baltistan). Binary Linear regressions were conducted to examine how intrinsic variables (age, education, region, urban/rural, type of marital relationship, and wealth) predicted experiencing emotional or physical abuse from one's husband within the past year. Approximately, 20% of women endorsed experiencing physical violence and 28% endorsed experiencing emotional violence. Results found that educational level, wealth, and type of marital relationship were associated with a higher likelihood of experiencing some form of physical or emotional violence. Implications from this study support policy interventions aimed at education within the family, linking women with resources, and continued investment in the education of young women. Interventions would be best targeted in low wealth regions with a special emphasis on rural areas.