Identification of midwifery students’ menstrual attitudes

Abstract

This study is based on the idea that attitudes towards menstruation can be multi-directional, and the physiological and emotional symptom expectations during menstrual period can influence the attitudes. The study population consists of 100 students of the first and second year in Cukurova University Health Sciences Faculty Midwifery Department during 2014–2015 education year and the sample consists of 92 students. Questionnaires included sociodemographic information, menstrual features and menstrual attitude. The data were analysed with IBM 20.0 package program. The average age of the participants is 19.75 ± 1.86 and average menarche age is 13.77 ± 1.25. It is indicated that 87.0% of the participants have knowledge regarding menstruation, yet 48.9% had worries during their first menstruation, 77.2% have regular menstruations, 71.7% experience premenstrual problems and 89.1% experience dysmenorrhoea. Based on high average scores for Menstrual Attitude Scale, i.e., 66.93 ± 8.12, it is found that the students have positive attitudes towards menstruation.

Keywords: Menstruation menstrual attitude, midwifery student