A study to assess the effectiveness of acupressure on relief of dysmenorrhoea symptoms among adolescent girls in selected schools at Nagercoil

A study to assess the effectiveness of acupressure on relief of dysmenorrhoea symptoms among adolescent girls in selected schools at Nagercoil. Objectives • To assess the level of pain and dysmenorrhoea symptoms among adolescent girls in Experimental and Control group. • To compare the level of pain and dysmenorrhoea symptoms before and after the application of acupressure in experimental group and without intervention in control group. • To determine the association of pretest level of pain and dysmenorrhoea symptoms with selected demographic variables in Experimental group Hypotheses H1: There is a significant difference in level of pain and dysmenorrhoea symptoms before and after application of acupressure in experimental group and without intervention in control group. H2: There is significant association of pre intervention level of pain and dysmenorrhoea symptoms with selected demographic variables among adolescent girls. Methods The research design selected for the study was Time Series design .The study was conducted in LMPC Higher secondary School, Puthalam and LMS Higher secondary School, Zionpuram. The tool used for data collection was consisting of demographic variables such as Age, age at menarche, type of family,duration of menstruation and family history of dysmenorrhoea. Numerical pain rating scale and dysmenorrhoea symptoms assessment rating scale was used to assess the the level of pain and dysmenorrhoea symptoms. The pilot study was conducted in LMPC Higher secondary School, Puthalam and LMS Higher secondary School, Zionpuram. The tool was validated by five experts and the reliability of the tool was established by inter-rater reliability method. Findings revealed that the tool was feasible, reliable and practicable to conduct the main study. 60 adolescent girls who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected for the study. Out of which 30 adolescent girls were assigned to experimental group and 30 were assigned to control group through the convenient sampling technique. Based on the inclusion criteria the samples were selected and allotted to the experimental and control group. Results For comparing the level of pain soon after the intervention in experimental group , the mean post test score was 3.7. In control group ,the mean post test score was 5.20. Calculated unpaired t test value 4.23was found to be more than the table value. This data had indicated that there was significant reduction of pain score. 30 minutes after intervention in experimental group , the mean post test score was 1.56. In control group ,the mean post test score was 5.13. Calculated unpaired t test value 11.74 was found to be more than the table value. This data had indicated that there was significant reduction of pain score. The whole data had denoted that Acupressure was highly effective in reducing level of pain . For comparing the level of dysmenorrhoea symptoms soon after the intervention in experimental group , the mean post test score was 24.2. In control group, the mean post test score was 36.8. Calculated unpaired t test value 5.12 was found to be more than the table value. This data had indicated that there was significant reduction of dysmenorrhoea symptoms score. 30 minutes after intervention in experimental group , the mean post test score was 13.3. In control group, the mean post test score was 37.96. Calculated un paired t test value 12.20was found to be more than the table value. This data had indicated that there was significant reduction of dysmenorrhoea symptoms score, The whole data had denoted that Acupressure was highly effective in reducing dysmenorrhoea symptoms The study shows that in Experimental group soon after the intervention, 15(50%) had mild pain, 15(50%) had moderate pain, and none of them had severe pain . In control group 1(3.33%) had mild pain, 27(90%) had moderate pain, 2(6.67%) had severe pain. 30 minutes after the intervention 4(13.33%) had no pain, 26(86.67%) had mild pain, and none of them had moderate, and severe pain . In control group 1(3.33%) had mild pain, 28(93.33%) had moderate pain, 1(3.33%) had severe pain. It is inferred that application of Acupressure was highly effective in relieving pain and dysmenorrhoea symptoms among all experimental adolescent girls. Also the study reveals that there is no significant association between selected demographic variables such as age, age at menarche, type of family and family history of dysmenorrhoea except duration of menstruation