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Non-randomised trial, 2020

Does an educational program improve girls' knowledge about PMS?

Yes, an educational program significantly improved secondary school female students' knowledge about PMS compared to a control group (P≤0.01), with improvements sustained at a second follow-up test.

Moderate study design 140 secondary school female students (70 per group) in Iraq with premenstrual syndrome

What they did

A quasi-experimental study of 140 secondary school female students in Iraq (70 in the study group, 70 in the control group). The study group received a 4-step educational program: pretest to assess baseline knowledge, implementation of the program, posttest I at 2 weeks, and posttest II. The control group received no education. Knowledge was tested at all timepoints.

What they found

There were significant differences (P≤0.01) between pretest and both posttests (I and II) in the study group regarding knowledge about PMS. The control group showed no changes. The study group performed significantly better than the control group after the program.

What it means for you

Educational programs in secondary schools can improve girls' knowledge about PMS. This study was limited to one region of Iraq, so results may not apply to all secondary school students.

140

female students (70 per group)

P≤0.01

significance level

2 weeks

interval between posttests

About the study

Original title
Effectiveness of an Educational Program on Female Students’ Knowledge toward Premenstrual Syndrome in Secondary Schools in Third Al- Rusafa Education Directorate, Iraq
Authors
Sarab M. Mansoor, Suhad Khairi
Journal
Iraqi National Journal of Nursing Specialties
Year
2020
Study design
Non-randomised trial
What was tested
4-step educational program about PMS
Open access
Yes
Original abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of educational program on female students’ knowledge toward premenstrual syndrome.Methodology: A quasi-experimental design study conducing on (140) student purposely in four secondary schools at Al-sadder city (70) student for study group and (70) for control group. The prevalence of PMS selected through American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) (2015) criterias to select PMS students before program. The education program were set in four steps, the first step (pre-test) is to assess the knowledge , before the implementation of the program, the second step is implementing the program, following two steps post-test I and II between each test two weeks. Validity is determined through a panel of experts, and the reliability of the questionnaire is determined through pilot study of ten students. Data analyzed through descriptive inferential statistics. Results: The current study indicates that the number of study sample that reported having premenstrual syndrome was (140). There were significant differences at (P- value≤ 0.01) between pretest, posttest I and posttest II. A significant difference results were found between the first test before implementation the program and the two tests after implementation the program regarding their knowledge about premenstrual syndrome, compared to the control group.Recommendations: The study recommended that early education courses in primary school regarding menstruation, premenstrual syndrome, and self-care measures.

Reproduced under CC-BY.

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