ABSTRACT
Background:Menstrual pain can reduce activities. It is experienced by 54.89% of Indonesian women in productive ages. A preliminary study shows that 80% of the students of Aisyiyah Health Science College of Surakarta experienced the menstrual pain.A non-pharmacological intervention to reduce the menstrual pain can be done through the execution of warm compress and back massage.
Objective: To investigate the difference of pain reduction between warm compress and back massage on menstrual pain of the students of Aisyiyah Health Science College of Surakarta.
Method: This research used the quasy experimental research method with the non-randomized control group pretest posttest design. Its subjects were 30 students of the aforementioned college. The data of research were collected through observation sheets. The observations were done prior to and following the interventions to the experimental group and the control group. The results of the observations were then compared.
Result: The result of Paired T Test shows that the mean of warm compress = 2.400, with the p-value = 0.000 was greater than that of back massage = 1.267with the p- value = 0.002, meaning that Ha was verified, but Ho was rejected. This indicates that there was a difference; warm compress was more effective than back massage on the menstrual pain reduction.
Conclusion: Midwifeshouldextend counseling on menstrual pain with natural and safe warm compress.
Keywords: menstrual pain, warm compress, back massage