Is PMS common in female university students and linked to anxiety, depression, and stress?

Objective The purpose of this study is to measure the prevalence of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), its management, and its possible association with depression, anxiety, and stress among female medical and non-medical students. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at King Khalid University Hospital and King Saud University Female Campus. A self-administered questionnaire following the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) criteria was used to measure levels of PMS. It also included the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) to measure depression, anxiety, and stress. The inclusion criteria were: females of reproductive age who had menstrual cycles for two consecutive months. Meanwhile, the exclusion criteria included gynecological or psychological problems, pregnancy, and the use of oral contraceptive pills. Of the 513 responses, 414 met the above criteria and were used in the study. An analysis was done using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, version. 21.0, IBM Armonk, NY). To compare the mean values of quantitative variables, the student's t-test for independent samples was used. Accordingly, Pearson's correlation quantified the linear relationship between the two quantitative variables. Results The majority of female students have a moderate level of PMS, and only 8% have severe PMS. Notably, 8.9% of the students have moderate anxiety while 1.7% and 0.7% have severe and extremely severe anxiety, respectively. Moreover, 11.8% and 3.4% of the students have moderate depression and stress, respectively, whereas 1.7% have severe depression. The results show a positive correlation between PMS and anxiety, depression, and stress. Depression and stress scores vary significantly between medical and non-medical students. Conclusion Premenstrual syndrome is a prevalent issue among females, and it can negatively affect their health. There is a need to study PMS thoroughly to optimize and guide its management for further improving women's health.

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