Survey study, 2024
How common are PMS and PMDD in college students, and what factors are linked to them?
PMS and PMDD are common in college students. They are strongly linked to high stress, irregular periods, longer menstrual cycles, and demanding schoolwork. Most common symptoms are anger, tiredness, and loss of interest in activities.
What they did
Cross-sectional study of medical, physiotherapy, and nursing college students at Dr. S N Medical College in Jodhpur, India. Researchers used questionnaires about menstrual history, premenstrual symptoms, and perceived stress to identify PMS and PMDD and explore associations with stress and lifestyle.
What they found
PMS was significantly associated with high perceived stress, menstrual cycle irregularity, more menstrual days, painful periods, and demanding education. Most common symptoms were anger and irritability, followed by fatigue (75.7%), decreased interest in work (74.5% and 71.3%). Stress levels were significantly different between students with no PMS, moderate-to-severe PMS, and PMDD (p=0.000). PMS prevalence was similar to other Indian states and neighboring Asian countries.
What it means for you
For college students, stress appears to be a key factor in PMS. Schools might help by offering support for students with PMS or PMDD. This study was limited to one college in India, so results may not apply to all college students, especially in other countries.
75.7%
reported fatigue or lack of energy
74.5%
reported decreased interest in work
p=0.000
stress difference significance
About the study
- Original title
- Prevalence of premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder among college students and their association with lifestyle, socio-demographic factors and perceived stress level
- Authors
- Sona Budaniya, Dr Raghuveer Choudhary, Ashok Kumar Choudhary
- Journal
- Psychocentrum Review
- Year
- 2024
- Study design
- Survey study
- What was tested
- None - observation and measurement
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.26539/pcr.623216
Topics
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