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Survey study, 2023

Did COVID-19 lifestyle changes worsen PMS symptoms and quality of life?

Changes in diet, exercise, sleep, and stress during COVID-19 affected PMS symptoms in university students and reduced both their physical and mental quality of life. The study shows these are linked but does not identify which specific changes had the most impact.

Early or limited evidence 336 female university students in Istanbul, Turkey.

What they did

Researchers surveyed 336 female university students in Istanbul about lifestyle changes during COVID-19, their PMS symptoms, and their quality of life.

What they found

The average PMS score was 147.12 plus or minus 37.41. About 32.4% of students had COVID-19 infection. PMS scores differed significantly based on appetite status, exercise, tea and coffee consumption, and sleep patterns. Students' eating habits, physical activity, sleep, and stress levels changed during COVID-19 and this affected PMS symptoms and quality of life both physically and mentally.

What it means for you

Lifestyle factors like exercise, sleep, diet, and stress are connected to PMS and quality of life during stressful periods. Supporting healthy habits might help women with PMS. The study is limited because it was only in university students during COVID-19 in one city, so the results may not apply to other groups or time periods.

336

female students surveyed

32.4%

with COVID-19 infection

147.12

average PMS score

About the study

Original title
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Premenstrual Symptoms and Its Relationship with the Quality of Life
Authors
Aleyna Bulut, Yasemin Aydın Kartal
Journal
Nursing and Health Sciences Journal (NHSJ)
Year
2023
Study design
Survey study
Participants
336
What was tested
None
Open access
Yes
Original abstract

Lifestyle changes can negatively affect premenstrual symptoms. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of changes in the lifestyle of students on premenstrual symptoms and their relationship with their quality of life during the global epidemic process. The research that was planned with a descriptive and correlational pattern was conducted who receive education in the Faculty of Health Sciences in the structure of a public university in İstanbul. The sample of the study consisted of 336 female students. “The Personal Information Form”, “the Scale of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMSS)”, “the Scale of Life Quality Short Form - SF-36” was implemented upon the students that were included in the study. The total PMSS score of the students participating in the study was 147.12±37.41. It was determined that 32.4% of the students had Covid-19 infection. When the total mean scores of PMSS were evaluated according to the lifestyle behaviors of the students; It was determined that PMSS total score differed significantly according to appetite status, exercise, tea and coffee consumption and sleep patterns. According to the results of the study, it was determined that nutritional behaviors, physical activity status, sleep and stress levels changed greatly with the COVID-19 epidemic and it affected PMS. It was determined that this situation affected the quality of life negatively both physically and mentally.

Reproduced under CC-BY-SA.

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