Survey study, 2015
Are menstrual problems linked to mental health issues?
Yes. Girls with menstrual problems were clearly more likely to have stress and anxiety.
What they did
Asked 707 college girls in India about menstrual problems, stress, anxiety, depression, and social anxiety using questionnaires over one year from June 2013 to May 2014.
What they found
58.4% had menstrual problems, most commonly period pain. 14.9% felt embarrassed about menstruation. Girls with menstrual problems were more likely to have stress and anxiety. Those embarrassed by their periods had more social anxiety, stress, anxiety, and depression. Body image and feeling embarrassed were the strongest linked factors.
What it means for you
Girls with period problems often also experience mental health issues like anxiety and depression. The main limit is this was a one-time study, so we can't tell if period problems cause mental health issues or vice versa.
58.4%
had menstrual problems
14.9%
felt embarrassed about periods
413
out of 707 with menstrual problems
About the study
- Original title
- Are Menstrual Problems Associated with the Mental Health? A Cross Sectional Study among the Graduation College Girls
- Authors
- Quraishi SR, Vivek Baliram Waghachavare, Alka Dilip Gore et al.
- Journal
- IIUM Medical Journal Malaysia
- Year
- 2015
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 707
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.31436/imjm.v14i2.435
Topics
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