Survey study, 2022
How common is PMS in female medical students and how does it affect their ability to study?
PMS was present in 37% of medical students. It significantly reduced their study time, work productivity, concentration, and exam performance.
What they did
Cross-sectional study of female medical students at a university in Saudi Arabia, conducted March-April 2022. Researchers used standard medical criteria to diagnose PMS and asked about the effect on quality of life using a standard tool (SF-12).
What they found
37% of medical students had PMS. The most common psychological symptoms were depression, crying spells, irritability, anger, and anxiety. The most common physical symptoms were breast tenderness, food cravings, fatigue, bloating, and weight gain. PMS reduced daily activities, study time, work productivity, concentration, and exam performance. Students often used over-the-counter medications and complementary therapies.
What it means for you
PMS significantly affects female medical students' ability to study and work. Students try various treatments on their own. The study is limited to one university and all participants were medical students, so findings may not apply to other student groups.
37%
Prevalence of PMS
About the study
- Original title
- Prevalence, health-related quality, and management of premenstrual syndrome among female medical student
- Authors
- Shurouq AlKhalifa, Roba Aldossary, Maha Alahmari
- Journal
- International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries
- Year
- 2022
- Study design
- Survey study
- What was tested
- None - observational study
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.24911/ijmdc.51-1669023417
Topics
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