Survey study, 2022
How common is PMS among female college students in China and what increases the risk?
About 51% had PMS. Anxiety, stress, smartphone addiction, and painful periods increased risk. Getting more sleep was protective.
What they did
Online survey of 1,668 female college students aged 17 to 23 at two colleges in Anhui Province, China. Students answered questions about their menstrual history and potential risk factors like stress, anxiety, sleep, and smartphone use. Researchers analyzed the data to identify risk factors.
What they found
50.7% (846 out of 1,668) had PMS. Anxiety increased risk by 2.132 times. Stress increased risk by 1.890 times. Smartphone addiction increased risk by 1.249 times. Dysmenorrhea (painful periods) increased risk by 2.676 times. Better sleep time was protective.
What it means for you
PMS is very common in Chinese college students, affecting more than half. Stress, anxiety, and smartphone use may contribute. Getting enough sleep might help prevent or reduce PMS. The study was at just two colleges in one province, so results may not apply everywhere.
50.7%
Prevalence of PMS
1,668
Students surveyed
2.676
Risk increase from dysmenorrhea (odds ratio)
About the study
- Original title
- Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and its associated factors among female college students in China: a cross-sectional study
- Authors
- Zhou Z, Tao X, Liu H et al.
- Journal
- Research Square
- Year
- 2022
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 1,668
- What was tested
- None (observational study)
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1631440/v1
Original abstract
OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to determine the prevalence of PMS and its associated factors among female college students in China. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted by administering an online questionnaire to the Wannan Medical College and Tongling Polytechnic, Anhui Province, China. RESULTS: A total of 1668 female college students participated in the study, aged 17–23 years, age at menarche ranged from 9 to 16 years. The prevalence of PMS was 50.7% (846/1668). Anxiety (OR = 2.132, 95% CI = 1.620–2.807), pressure (OR =1.890, 95% CI = 1.512–2.363), smartphone addiction (OR =1.249, 95% CI = 1.009–1.547), and dysmenorrhea (OR =2.676, 95% CI = 2.170–3.301) were the risk factors for SHS, while sleep time was the protective factors for SHS. CONCLUSION: Depending on the findings of present study, we recommend that governments develop policies and guidelines to improve the health and productivity of female college students.
Reproduced under CC-BY.
Topics
Related studies
Survey study, 2026
Do young women with PMS search online for health information more and develop health anxiety from it?
Interview study, 2024
How do young women use period tracker apps to manage their menstrual cycles?
Cohort study, 2025
Does online health literacy link to better menstrual and mental health in teenage girls?
Systematic review, 2025
Does digital healthcare help manage period pain and PMS?
Systematic review, 2025
How common are PMS, PMDD, and painful periods in nursing students, and do they affect their schooling?
Systematic review, 2025
Does teaching adolescent girls about their menstrual cycle and health help reduce period pain and PMS?