Abstract
This study was aimed to identify the effect of abdominal moxibustion on premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea in university students. The data were collected by using questionnaires from April 25, 2005 to June 20, 2005. The subjects were university students from in the Pusan metropolitan area who had complained of menstrual discomfort. Thirteen students were assigned to the experimental group and fourteen students to the control group. The research design of this study was a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. In the research method pretest were conducted through measurement based on scores of general character, menstrual character, premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea in the experimental group and the control group. Experimentation was conducted by abdominal moxibustion being applied on the kwan-won hole and Ki-hae hole for 25 minutes at a time, three times a week, form the ending of one menstrual cycle to the beginning of the next menstrual cycle were in the experimental group. After treatment was finished, post tests conducted through measurement based on scores of premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea in the experimental group. The control group conducted a point of same time and same measurement with the experimental group. The instruments used in this study MDQ(Menstual Distress Questionnaire) developed by moos(1968) and the VAS(Visual Analogue Scale) developed by Cline(1992). The data were analysed by SPSS/ win 12.0 program with ${\chi}$2-test and t-test to verify identification among subjects' general characteristics and menstrual characteristics. Hypothesis verification was analysed with t-test. The results of the study are as follows: The hypothesis, 'the experimental group who received abdominal moxibustion will decrease premenstrual symptoms more than the control group', was supported (t= -2.121, p=.022). The hypothesis, 'the experimental group who received adbominal moxibustion will decrease dysmenorrhea compared to the control group', was supported (t=-4.424, p=.001). As a result of this study, abdominal moxibustion will be used as a nursing aide to improve and prevent menstrual discomfort of university students who have premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea.
