Survey study, 2010
How much does PMS affect the daily lives of Korean women?
PMS is extremely common in Korean women, with 32% meeting clinical criteria for PMS, and it significantly disrupts daily activities. However, almost none of the women knew what PMS or PMDD was or sought medical help for it.
What they did
1000 Korean women aged 15-49 answered an online survey about premenstrual symptoms. Researchers classified symptoms by how severe and frequent they were and whether they affected daily activities.
What they found
32.1% met criteria for PMS and 2.8% met criteria for PMDD (more severe PMS). The most common symptoms were pain in joints, muscles or back, abdominal pain, and irritability. Only 2% to 10.7% of women consulted doctors depending on severity. 91.5% of women knew nothing about the terms PMS or PMDD.
What it means for you
PMS is common and affects daily life for many Korean women, but almost none know what it is called or seek help for it. This is only women surveyed online in Korea, so it may not apply to other populations.
1000
women surveyed
32.1%
met PMS diagnostic criteria
91.5%
had no knowledge of PMS or PMDD
About the study
- Original title
- The impact of premenstrual symptoms on activities of daily life in Korean women
- Authors
- Choi D, Lee DY, Lehert P et al.
- Journal
- Journal of psychosomatic obstetrics and gynaecology
- Year
- 2010
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 1,000
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.3109/01674820903573920
Topics
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