Academic Stress and Menstrual Disorders among Female Undergraduates in Uyo, South Eastern Nigeria – The Need for Health Education

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the association between academic stress and
menstrual disorders among female undergraduates in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.
Methodology: Three hundred and ninety-three female students of the University of Uyo, aged 16-35
years were randomly selected from different departments in the University, and assessed during the
2009/2010 academic session. Menstrual history and Student’s Stress Assessment Questionnaires
(SSAQ) were used to survey the participants.
Results: Prevalence of menstrual disorders among participants was 34.6%. Menstrual disorders were
found to be significantly associated with academic stress. Students with high level of stress reported
various pattern of menstrual disorders, with the most common menstrual disorder being menorrhagia
(37.5%). Others were: Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS) (33.1%), Oligomenorrhea (19.9%), and
amenorrhea (5.9%). The odds for menstrual disorder was twice higher in those who reported high
level of academic stress (OR: 2.0, C.I = 1.224-2.837) than the low academic stress group.Conclusion: This study has demonstrated a significant association between academic stress and
menstrual disorders among female undergraduates in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.