Predictors of Health-Promoting Lifestyle among Students with Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Cross-Sectional Study

The problem of dysmenorrhea has not yet been controlled despite the various managements available for it. Among those, a health-promoting lifestyle is recognized as a key factor to prevent the progression of many diseases since health promotion are directly related to lifestyle-related behaviors. This study assessed predictors of health-promoting lifestyle among university students with primary dysmenorrhea.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 370 students with primary dysmenorrhea from October to February 2018. The subjects were selected from the students of the Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran, using a proportionate stratified sampling method. The instruments used to collect data consisted of a demographic questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory-II, General Self-efficacy Scale, and the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II. The general linear model was used to estimate the impact of each independent variable on the dependent variables using SPSS software (version 21).

The mean scores of health-promoting lifestyle, general self-efficacy, and depression were obtained as 141.16±18.41, 57.81±8.1, and 11.8±10.5, respectively. There was a significant relationship between health-promoting lifestyle with self-efficacy and depression (p <0.001). Based on the general linear model, the relationship of the total score of a health-promoting lifestyle was significant with the general self-efficacy, depression, and regular physical activity (p <0.05). Students with high self-efficacy, low depression, and regular physical activity achieved higher health-promoting lifestyle scores.

It is recommended thatschools’ health policymakers should consider physical activities and psychological factors through offering educational and cultural programs, as well as paying greater attention than before to these dimensions.