Premenstrual syndrome and its effect on quality of life

of preclinical medical students

Tenzin Thoesam

Chinawat Phumchaisak

Fasinee Arunrodpanya

5th Year Medical Students, Faculty of Medicine Naresuan University Hospital, Naresuan University, Thailand

Abbreviation

PMS: Premenstrual syndrome

WHOQOL: World Health Organization – Quality of life

QOL: Quality of life

PSST: Premenstrual Syndrome Screening Tool

BMI: Body Mass Index

Background

PMS was designated by Frank for the first time in 1931

A combination of psychological, physical and behavioral symptoms.

The severity of the syndrome can have a huge effect on the quality of life.

Background

Baskent University, Turkey concluded that 72.1% of their female medical students had PMS.

A report from Poland showed that 76.39% of the female population in reproductive age had PMS.

Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand found that 25.1% of the nurses working in the hospital had PMS.

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to identify the relationship between effect on quality of life and risk factors of PMS in preclinical medical students.

Methods

A cross sectional study.

Female Preclinical Medical Students of Faculty of Medicine, Naresuan University. 188 students

Questionnaire Basic information data. Severity of PMS. A Thai version of PSST.

Results

Basic information data

Symptoms of PMS

Quality of Life

PMS and its associated data

Basic information data

Risk factors Min Max Mean SDAge 17 30 20.75 3.35Body weight (kilograms)

35 76 51.55 7.17

Height (centimeters) 149 176 161 0.05Body mass index (kg/m2)

14.57 30.83 19.89 2.38

Menarche(years) 10 16 12.68 1.27

Table – 1 Age, Body weight, Height, BMI, Menarche

Basic information data

General and Gynecologic data Numbers PercentageExercise

ํ� Yes 96 51.06

No 62 48.94

Caffeine

ํ� Yes 71 37.77

No 117 62.23

Alcohol consumption(more than 1 time / week)

ํ� Yes 1 0.53

No 187 99.47

Family history

ํ� Yes 104 55.32

No 84 44.68

Table – 2 Exercise, Caffeine, Alcohol beverage, Family history of PMS

Symptoms of PMS

Symptoms of PMS

Symptoms of PMS

Severity Numbers PercentageNo symptoms to mild symptoms 43 22.87Moderate to severe symptoms 145 77.13

Table – 5 The prevalence of PMS

Quality of Life

Quality of LifeNumber

sPercent

agePoor 0 0.00Neither poor nor good 88 46.81Good 100 53.19

Table – 6 Quality of Life

Quality of Life

Part Numbers Percentage

Physical

ํ� Poor 96 51.06

Not poor 92 48.94

Psychological

ํ� Poor 71 37.77

Not poor 117 62.23

Social

ํ� Poor 1 0.53

Not poor 187 99.47

Environmental

ํ� Poor 104 55.32

Not poor 84 44.68

Table – 7 The quality of life divided in each part

Quality of Life

Part Min MaxAverage

SD

Over view part 68 12795.9

711.1

5

Physical part 15 3022.0

92.98

Psychological part 14 3022.7

03.12

Social part 6 1511.4

91.63

Environmental part 16 3928.3

04.24

Table – 8 The quality of life score divided in each part.

The Association of PMS and Quality of Life

score Quality of Life score No symptoms to mild

symptomsModerate to severe

symptoms

Over view part

Mean SD 95% Confidence Interval P-Value

97.5010.87

95.72 – 99.290.0005

90.8110.66

87.53 – 94.090.0005

Physical part

Mean SD 95% Confidence Interval P-Value

22.632.85

22.16 – 23.100.0000

20.282.71

19.44 – 21.110.0000

The Association of PMS and Quality of Life

score Quality of Life score Not have symptom to mild

symptomsModerate to severe

symptoms

Psychological

Mean SD 95% Confidence Interval P-Value

23.102.93

22.62 – 23.580.0013

21.373.38

20.33 – 22.410.0013

Social

Mean SD 95% Confidence Interval P-Value

11.651.58

11.39 – 11.910.0175

10.981.71

10.45 – 11.500.0175

The Association of PMS and Quality of Life

score Quality of Life score Not have symptom to mild

symptomsModerate to severe

symptoms

Environmental

Mean SD 95% Confidence Interval P-Value

28.634.29

27.92 – 29.330.0537

27.213.92

26.00 – 28.420.0537

The association of risk factors and moderate to severe symptoms of PMS

Risk factorsOdds Ratio

95% Confiden

ce Interval

P - Value

Age 0.950.85 – 1.07

0.387

BMI 0.940.80 – 1.10

0.434

Menarche 0.850.63 – 1.14

0.272

Exercise 0.880.43 – 1.79

0.721

Caffeine 1.260.62 – 2.58

0.518

Family history of PMS

2.201.06 – 4.58

0.035

Discussion

There were 188 participants in this study, 22.8% have been found to be having premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

This study found that maternal history of PMS greatly affected in the occurrence of PMS and thereby caused an increased prevalence of PMS in our participants.

Discussion

Other risk factors found to be of influence on the prevalence of PMS:AgeBMI Age of menachyexerciseCoffee consumption

However,in this study, we found no evident relationship between PMS and these factors in our participants.

Discussion

PMS was found to be significantly affecting the overall quality of life score, especially, Physical part Psychological part Social part

However, Environmental part was not found to be affected.

Conclusion

PMS affects daily life of women.

Many women pay no attention to this syndrome.

Women should know more about PMS and be given proper management.

This syndrome should be evaluated more for its causes and prevention of it will be important.

Acknowledgement

Professor Supasit, M.D. The Dean of Faculty of Medicine, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand.

Non, M.D. Head of Dept. of Community Family and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand.

Surachai Dejarkom, M.D. Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine Naresuan University Hospital, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand.

Suwit, M.D. Dept. of Community Family and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand.

Staffs of the Dept. of Community Family and Occupational Medicine.

Preclinical medical students of Faculty of Medicine, Naresuan University.

References

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8.สั�ว�ฒน� มห�ตน�รั�นดรั�ก�ลี,ว�รัะวรัรัณี ต�นต�พั�ว�ฒนสัก�ลีม, วน�ดา พั� +มไพัศาลีช�ย.เครั-�องช�.ว�ดค�ณีภาพัช�ว�ตขององค�การัอนาม�ยโลีกช�ดย+อ ฉบ�บภาษัาไท์ย (WHOQOL – BREF – THAI). [Online]. 2541[cited 2541]Available from: URL: http://www.dmh.go.th/test/whoqol/