Survey study, 2026
How common is PMS among medical students and how is it linked to depression?
Using the study's definition, 96.4% had PMS. Those with PMS had higher depression and lower school involvement. The extremely high prevalence makes confidence low.
What they did
Analytical cross-sectional study of 338 menstruating female medical students from all five academic years at Zagazig University in Egypt using questionnaires for PMS, depression, and involvement in school activities.
What they found
Using their cutoff score, 96.4% (326 of 338 students) met PMS criteria. Average depression score was 21.9 plus or minus 10.9. Those with PMS had higher depression, social involvement, and academic involvement scores than those without PMS (all P less than 0.001). Age at menarche, bleeding duration, and depression remained linked to PMS status in analysis.
What it means for you
This study found PMS in almost all students, much higher than others. Only 12 students without PMS makes comparison difficult. Depression and PMS appear connected but we cannot tell cause and effect.
96.4%
PMS prevalence
21.9
average depression score
338
participants
About the study
- Original title
- Prevalence of Premenstrual Syndrome and Its Association with Depressive Symptoms and Academic Involvement Among Female Medical Students
- Authors
- Marwa Abdelhady Hassan, Nada Samir Ismaiel Ahmed, Rasha Mohammed Bahaa Eldin
- Journal
- Zagazig University Medical Journal
- Year
- 2026
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 338
- What was tested
- None
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.21608/zumj.2026.519014.4748
Topics
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