---
title: Is premenstrual syndrome linked to depression in female university students?
description: Yes. Women with PMS had 70 times higher odds of depression compared to those without PMS. This cross-sectional study cannot prove whether PMS causes depressio
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/association-between-premenstrual-syndrome-and-depression-among-female-2021/
---

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- Is premenstrual syndrome linked to depression in female university students?

Survey study, 2021

# Is premenstrual syndrome linked to depression in female university students?

Yes. Women with PMS had 70 times higher odds of depression compared to those without PMS. This cross-sectional study cannot prove whether PMS causes depression or depression causes PMS symptoms.

 Early or limited evidence

440 female undergraduates at a private university in Nigeria

## What they did

Cross-sectional study at a private university in Nigeria. 440 female undergraduates completed questionnaires about depression using the Beck Depression Inventory and reported their symptoms. Researchers analyzed what factors were linked to depression.

## What they found

82.3% of women had depression, most commonly mild mood disturbance (43.9%). Women with PMS had 70.06 times higher odds of depression than those without PMS. Being older than 20 years, not having a close relationship with mother, and having a family history of PMS were also linked to depression.

## What it means for you

PMS and depression are strongly linked in this group of Nigerian university students. However, this is a single cross-sectional study at one university, so it cannot prove whether PMS causes depression or whether other factors explain both.

440

female undergraduates

82.3%

had depression

70.06

times higher odds of depression with PMS

## About the study

Original title Association between Premenstrual Syndrome and Depression among Female Undergraduates in a Private Nigerian University Authors Joshua Falade, Nurudeen Ola Bello, Emmaunual O. Adelekan et al. Journal Current Psychopharmacologye Year 2021 Study design Survey study Participants 440 What was tested None (observational study) Read the paper [doi.org/10.2174/2211556009666210509131851](https://doi.org/10.2174/2211556009666210509131851)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

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