Survey study, 2024
How common is PMS among nurses, and what makes it worse?
PMS was very common among the Iranian nurses studied, and it was linked to high job demands at work, not just personal habits. We can be only moderately sure, since this is a one-time survey from one region.
What they did
Researchers surveyed 280 nurses aged 23 to 49 working in teaching hospitals in Tehran province, Iran, between April 2021 and January 2022. The nurses filled out questionnaires about PMS symptoms, their job demands, and lifestyle and medical history.
What they found
Most nurses had PMS: 42.5% mild, 30% moderate, and 27.5% severe. Regular periods were reported by 84.6%, and painful periods by 72.3%. Moderate to severe PMS was linked to monthly COVID-19 shifts, emotional and quantitative job demands, regular caffeine intake, education level, regular exercise, and irregular cycles. When all factors were considered together, only quantitative and emotional job demands remained significantly linked to PMS.
What it means for you
For nurses and shift workers with PMS, heavy and emotionally demanding workloads may make symptoms worse, not just personal factors like diet or exercise. The study only looked at one group of workers in one country at one point in time, so it cannot prove the job demands actually cause worse PMS, only that they are linked.
27.5%
Nurses with severe PMS
30%
Nurses with moderate PMS
280
Total nurses surveyed
About the study
- Original title
- Prevalence of premenstrual syndrome and related factors among nurses
- Authors
- Saraei M, Shahrbabak ZM, Khalafi F et al.
- Journal
- Journal of the Turkish German Gynecological Association
- Year
- 2024
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 280
- What was tested
- None tested; this was an observational survey of PMS prevalence and associated factors.
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.4274/jtgga.galenos.2024.2023-3-1
Topics
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