Survey study, 2023
What factors make premenstrual syndrome worse in nursing students?
The study found that PMS is linked to menstrual pain, poor sleep, neuroticism (a personality trait), and stress. These factors together explain about 44% of why some students have worse PMS than others.
What they did
Researchers gave a questionnaire to 330 female fourth-year nursing students at one college in South Korea between March and May 2022. They looked at physical factors (menstrual pain during clinical practice, sleep quality), personality factors (neuroticism), and life factors (stress, attitudes toward menstruation).
What they found
Stronger PMS was linked to more menstrual pain (r=0.51, p<0.01), negative attitudes toward menstruation (r=0.15, p<0.01), higher neuroticism (r=0.37, p<0.01), and more stress (r=0.39, p<0.01). Better sleep quality was linked to less PMS (r=-0.38, p<0.01). In the regression analysis, menstrual pain (beta=0.42), poor sleep (beta=-0.23), neuroticism (beta=0.17), and stress (beta=0.21) together explained 44% of PMS severity.
What it means for you
Physical health (especially sleep and pain), personality traits, and stress all contribute to PMS severity. The study explains about 44% of PMS variation, meaning other unknown factors also play a role. The findings are from one college in one country, so may not apply to all women or populations.
330
nursing students surveyed
44%
of PMS severity explained by studied factors
0.51
correlation between menstrual pain and PMS
About the study
- Original title
- Factors Associated with Premenstrual Syndrome among Nursing Students Based on the Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms
- Authors
- Hyun Yi Kook
- Journal
- Journal of Nursing and Women s Health
- Year
- 2023
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 330
- What was tested
- Questionnaire assessing pain, sleep, personality, and stress factors
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.29011/2577-1450.100096
Original abstract
Background: This study aimed to explain premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in nursing students based on the Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms (TOUS).PMS includes physiological factors (pain intensity during clinical practice, sleep quality), psychological factors (neuroticism, stress), situational factors (attitudes toward menstruation, sex role stereotypes) that influence symptoms.Therefore, thoroughly investigating the correlates of PMS among nursing students is necessary.Method: Data were collected from March 2022 to May 2022 through a cross-sectional study of female students using a selfreported questionnaire.A total of 330 female students (in the fourth grade) enrolled in the nursing department of a college in G city were recruited via convenience sampling.Independent t-test and one-way ANOVA were used to explore differences in PMS, with Scheffe's test performed post hoc.We analyzed correlations using Pearson's correlation and performed multiple regression analyses to investigate the factors influencing PMS.Results: PMS was positively significantly correlated with menstrual pain intensity during clinical practice (r = 0.51, p < 0.01), attitudes toward menstruation (r = 0.15, p < 0.01), neuroticism (r = 0.37, p < 0.01) and stress (r = 0.39, p < 0.01), but negatively correlated with sleep quality (r = -0.38,p < 0.01).The results of multiple regression analysis showed that menstrual pain intensity during clinical practice (β = 0.42), sleep quality (β = -0.23),neuroticism (β = 0.17) and stress (β = 0.21) affected PMS.The regression model was significant (F = 44.64,p < 0.001) and explanatory power was 44%. Conclusion:The findings of this study identified physiological and psychological factors influencing PMS.Developing an appropriate understanding of these influencing factors and customized interventions may be associated with the improvement of PMS in female college students enrolled in the Department of Nursing Journal of Nursing and Women's Health
Reproduced under CC-BY-SA.
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