Survey study, 2022
Is stress about puberty and menstruation linked to depression and anxiety in adolescent girls?
Yes. Stress related to menstruation and puberty was linked to depression, anxiety, and reproductive tract infections in adolescent girls in Tanzania.
What they did
Surveyed 581 adolescent girls and young women aged 13 to 21 attending secondary school in Tanzania in 2018. Measured stress about puberty and menstruation, depression, anxiety, and reproductive tract infection symptoms using a questionnaire.
What they found
Stress about puberty and menstrual symptoms were linked to depression and anxiety. Girls who had difficulties with movement and activity during menstruation were more likely to have anxiety. Girls with more stress about menstruation and more depression symptoms were more likely to report reproductive tract infection symptoms.
What it means for you
For adolescent girls in Tanzania, stress about menstruation and puberty is connected to mental health problems. The study only covered one region of Tanzania, so these findings may not apply everywhere. It is not clear whether stress causes these problems or if they share a common cause.
581
Girls studied
13–21
Age range
Tanzania
One region only
About the study
- Original title
- Puberty- and Menstruation-Related Stressors Are Associated with Depression, Anxiety, and Reproductive Tract Infection Symptoms Among Adolescent Girls in Tanzania
- Authors
- Cherenack EM, Sikkema KJ
- Journal
- International journal of behavioral medicine
- Year
- 2022
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 581
- What was tested
- None—observational study
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1007/s12529-021-10005-1
Topics
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