--- title: How common is PMS in working women and what factors increase the risk? description: PMS developed in 7% of Korean working women over 8 years. Women who were very young (15-19), manual workers, had anemia, or were underweight had significantly url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-syndrome-incidence-rate-and-risk-factors-among-the-working-2022/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - How common is PMS in working women and what factors increase the risk? Cohort study, 2022 # How common is PMS in working women and what factors increase the risk? PMS developed in 7% of Korean working women over 8 years. Women who were very young (15-19), manual workers, had anemia, or were underweight had significantly higher risk. Strong study design 121,024 female workers in Korea ## What they did Researchers followed 121,024 female workers in Korea for 8 years (2007-2015) using health insurance records. They tracked which women were diagnosed with PMS based on medical visits and compared risk factors between groups. ## What they found Overall PMS incidence was 7.0%. Women aged 15-19 had 2.81 times higher risk than older women. Manual workers had 1.06 times higher risk, those with anemia had 1.13 times higher risk, and underweight women had 1.21 times higher risk. The annual incidence increased by approximately 1% per year over the 8-year period. ## What it means for you PMS is fairly common in working women. Being very young, doing manual work, having anemia, or being underweight all increase risk. The study is large and population-based, but findings are from Korea and may differ in other countries. 7.0% Overall PMS incidence rate 2.81 Age 15-19 hazard ratio (2.35-3.36) 1.21 Underweight hazard ratio (1.10-1.25) ## About the study Original title Premenstrual syndrome incidence rate and risk factors among the working population in the Republic of Korea: a prospective cohort study Authors Lee W, Lee S, Ahn J et al. Journal BMC women's health Year 2022 Study design Cohort study Participants 121,024 What was tested None Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1186/s12905-022-01852-5](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-022-01852-5) Original abstract Background: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is the most common disease of the genitourinary tract in women. Although a sizeable proportion of women have symptoms or diagnosed PMS, its etiology remains unclear. The purpose of this cohort is to offer incidence and relevant risk factors of PMS among reproductive-aged Korean female workers. Methods: Cohort data used were from the National Health Insurance Service-Female Employees (from 2007 to 2015) conducted by the NHIS. A total of 121,024 female workers were analyzed to estimate the incidence and hazard ratio of PMS. PMS data was based on information obtained from medical facility visits during an eight-year follow-up. Results: The incidence of PMS was 7.0% during follow-up periods. In industrial classification, human health and social work activities have the highest incidence (9.0%) of PMS. Cumulative incidence of PMS has continuously increased by approximately 1% annually for eight years. Adjusted hazard ratio with 95% confidence interval was significantly higher in the 15-19 years old age group (2.81, 95%CI 2.35-3.36), manual worker (1.06, 95%CI 1.01-1.12), with anemia (1.13, 95%CI 1.06-1.20), and underweight (1.21, 95%CI 1.10-1.25) compared to those in the reference group. Conclusion: This study describes the PMS status with trend and risk factors using follow-up design among women under a middle-aged working population. Further study is warranted for better understanding on the risk factors of PMS for reproductive-aged female workers. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/) 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. ## Related studies Review, 2026 How well do SSRIs treat PMS? Cohort study, 2026 Is PMS becoming more common and more disabling worldwide? Systematic review, 2026 Are hormone levels different in women with PMS? Systematic review, 2026 Do mindfulness and relaxation techniques help with PMS symptoms? Systematic review, 2026 Why do some women experience mood changes linked to their menstrual cycle? Randomised trial, 2025 Do essential oils reduce PMS symptoms? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗