Skip to content

Survey study, 2020

Does a Vietnamese version of a PMS screening tool work correctly?

Yes. The Vietnamese screening tool reliably identifies women with PMS (sensitivity 77.4%) and especially women without it (specificity 81.8%). However, if the test says you have PMS, you need further testing to confirm.

Moderate study design 303 female medical students ages 18-45 at Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vietnam

What they did

Cross-sectional validation study. A PMS screening tool was translated from English to Vietnamese. It was piloted first with 20 women to check cultural fit. Then tested in 303 female medical students ages 18-45. Results were compared to a detailed symptom diary (DRSP) using official diagnostic criteria.

What they found

Among 303 students, 28.4% screened positive for PMS and 0.7% for PMDD. Compared to daily symptom tracking, the screening tool correctly identified women without PMS (81.8% specificity) and identified most women with PMS (77.4% sensitivity). The tool was highly reliable (Cronbach's α = 0.91) and showed fair agreement on repeat testing (Kappa = 0.44). However, if the tool says someone has PMS, there is only a 30.7% chance they actually meet diagnostic criteria.

What it means for you

The Vietnamese screening tool is useful for identifying women without PMS in primary care. If someone tests positive, they should have further testing to confirm. The tool is reliable and culturally adapted for Vietnamese women, but results may not apply to other countries.

77.4%

Sensitivity (correctly finds PMS)

81.8%

Specificity (correctly finds non-PMS)

30.7%

Positive predictive value (confidence in positive result)

About the study

Original title
VALIDATION OF THE VIETNAMESE VERSION OF THE PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME SCREENING TOOL IN FEMALE MEDICAL STUDENTS AT HUE UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND PHARMACY
Authors
Ngo Dinh Trieu Vy, Linh Nguyen Le Hung, Duyen Tran Thi My et al.
Journal
Journal of Medicine and Pharmacy
Year
2020
Study design
Survey study
Participants
20
What was tested
None - validation study

Topics