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Survey study, 2010

How severe is PMS in university students, and what factors affect severity?

Most PMS was mild to moderate in severity. 58.8% had mild physical symptoms and 38.8% had moderate. Only 2.4% had severe physical symptoms. Severity was linked to when symptoms started and the student's year of study.

Early or limited evidence 85 Iranian university students with PMS

What they did

From 980 student residents, 85 women with PMS were selected. These women kept daily diaries using DSM-4 criteria to track and rate the severity of their symptoms.

What they found

For physical symptoms: 58.8% had mild, 38.8% had moderate, and 2.4% had severe. For psychological symptoms: 30.7% had mild, 66.1% had moderate, and 3.2% had severe. More than two-thirds of the women had mild or moderate symptoms overall.

What it means for you

PMS severity varies widely among students, with most having mild to moderate symptoms. The study only included women who already had PMS, so it cannot compare severity to women without PMS. Results are limited to one university in Iran.

58.8%

had mild physical symptoms

66.1%

had moderate psychological symptoms

2.4%

had severe physical symptoms

About the study

Original title
Severity of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and its related factors in students of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences
Authors
Giti Ozgoli, Elham Alsadat Selselei, Hamid Alavi Majd
Journal
Advances in nursing and midwifery
Year
2010
Study design
Survey study
Participants
980
What was tested
None - observational study
Open access
Yes

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