Survey study, 2017
How common is PMDD among Arab women and what factors predict it?
About 18.6% of women in the UAE met PMDD criteria. Women with higher education, stressful life events, personal or family mental health problems, and painful periods were more likely to have PMDD.
What they did
Cross-sectional study of 508 women in Abu Dhabi, UAE between May and September 2005. Women attending routine health care were screened for PMDD using standardized diagnostic tools.
What they found
18.6% of women (94 women) met PMDD criteria. Of these, 4.1% had severe symptoms, 5.7% had moderate symptoms, and 8.7% had mild or less. PMDD was associated with higher education, being single, major life stressors, use of psychiatric medications, personal or family mental health problems, irregular or painful periods, and functional impairment.
What it means for you
PMDD affects about 1 in 5 Arab women. Women with personal or family mental health problems may be biologically predisposed to develop PMDD. The main limits are the study was only in one city in 2005, so findings may not represent other Arab regions or current populations.
508
women studied
18.6%
met PMDD criteria
4.1%
had severe PMDD symptoms
About the study
- Original title
- Prevalence, Severity, and Correlates of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Symptoms Among Women in the Arabian Peninsula
- Authors
- Osman OT, Sabri S, Zoubeidi T et al.
- Journal
- The primary care companion for CNS disorders
- Year
- 2017
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 508
- What was tested
- None
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.4088/pcc.17m02112
Topics
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