Survey study, 2010
How many female students have PMS and what causes it?
About half of female students (49.7%) have PMS. Having painful periods, a mother with PMS, and irregular periods after starting university were linked to higher PMS risk.
What they did
Cross-sectional descriptive study of 300 female students living in a university dormitory in Turkey. Researchers used a PMS symptom scale to measure symptoms and identify contributing factors.
What they found
49.7% had PMS. Specific symptoms: appetite changes (68.3%), irritability (65.7%), swelling (65.3%), fatigue (47.7%), pain (61.7%), depressive feelings (51.3%), sleep changes (46.7%), depressive thoughts (34.0%), and anxiety (18.7%). PMS was associated with menstrual pain, having a mother with PMS, and irregular periods after coming to university.
What it means for you
About half of female university students have PMS. Family history and changes to menstrual regularity when stressed may play a role. The study was limited to one dormitory so results may not apply everywhere.
49.7%
Students with PMS
68.3%
Appetite changes
65.7%
Irritability
About the study
- Original title
- Investigation of premenstrual syndrome and contributing factors among university students*
- Authors
- Nülüfer Erbi̇l, AYŞENUR KARACA, TÜLAY KIRIŞ
- Journal
- TURKISH JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES
- Year
- 2010
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 300
- What was tested
- None. Observational study of PMS symptoms and contributing factors.
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.3906/sag-0812-2
Topics
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