THE STUDY OF KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF PAIN-CONTROL

MANAGEMENT AMONG ENDOMETRIOSIS PATIENTS

Rehanis A.R. , Haslina H.

Faculty of Health & Life Science, Management and Science University

Abstract

Endometriosis merupakan penyakit yang amat kompleks dan sehingga kini, puncanya
masih belum dikenalpasti. Endometriosis seringkali dikaitkan dengan simptom seperti
kesakitan di bahagian pelvik dan juga dismenoria. Walau bagaimanapun, kesedaran
mengenai Endometriosis dan langkah-langkah yang perlu dipraktikkan untuk mengawal
simptom tersebut masih lagi rendah. Kajian yang dijalankan ini adalah bertujuan melihat
tahap kesedaran, sikap dan amalan terhadap penjagaan kawalan kesakitan di kalangan
pesakit Endometriosis. Borang kaji selidik jenis ‘cross-sectional’ digunakan untuk
penyelidikan ini dan seramai 119 orang pesakit Endometriosis dipilih secara rawak.
Kajian ini dijalankan kepada pesakit yang berkunjung ke klinik sakit puan di sekitar
Selangor. Hasil kajian menunjukkan pengetahuan mengenai Endometriosis di kalangan
pesakit berada di tahap yang rendah. Ini membuktikan pesakit masih lagi tidak di beri
pendedahan tentang penyakit ini sekaligus menyebabkan sikap dan amalan mereka
tentang penjagaan kawalan kesakitan turut terabai. Bagi rawatan yang digunakan oleh
pesakit untuk mengurangkan kesakitan, sebahagian besar daripada mereka hanya
bergantung kepada pengambilan perskripsi ubat-ubatan yang diberi oleh doktor dan
pakar sakit puan. Manakala sebilangan kecil daripada pesakit mencuba kaedah lain
seperti terapi alternatif dan hanya segelintir daripada mereka mengawal simptom
melalui diet dan pemakanan. Namun begitu, terdapat juga beberapa pesakit mengambil
langkah ekstrem dengan menjalankan pembedahan. Kesimpulannya, kesedaran
tentang penjagaan kawalan kesakitan di kalangan pesakit Endometriosis masih lagi
pada tahap yang rendah. Oleh itu, pendedahan keseluruhan harus dititikberatkan
supaya pesakit dapat mengatasi simptom penyakit ini serta berupaya menjalankan
aktiviti harian dengan lebih baik.
Endometriosis is a very complex disease, and until now its causes are still unidentified.
Endometriosis is commonly associated with symptoms such as a feeling of pain around the
pelvic area and also dismenoria. However, the level of awareness concerning endometriosis and
the steps that patients have to undertake to control its symptoms are still very low. The research
that has been done here is for the purpose of ascertaining the level of awareness, temperaments
and practices of endometriosis patients in the management of pain-control of endometriosis. A
“cross-sectional” questionnaire has been used as a medium in this research, and a number of 119
endometriosis patients have been randomly selected for this research. The questionnaire has been
passed to patients who had visited gynecology clinics in Selangor. The results show that the level
of awareness on endometriosis among endometriosis patients is very low. This proves that
patients were not sufficiently exposed to the disease and its symptoms, and also the methods to
reduce its pain. This is turn has caused the patients’ temperament and practice concerning the
management of pain-control to be seriously neglected. For most of these patients, many used
prescription drugs prescribed by doctors and gynecologists to control their pain, while some of
these patients have tried other methods to control their pain, such as alternative therapy.
Meanwhile, a few of them controlled their pain through diet and food consumption. However,
there are some that have taken the most extreme measure by undergoing surgery in order to
control their pain. In short, the level of awareness on the management of pain-control among
endometriosis patients is still very low. Therefore, full and transparent exposure is necessary to
be considered and executed so that endometriosis patients could sufficiently face and manage the
symptoms of the disease as best as they could and able to lead a better and more meaningful life.