Journal List > J Korean Acad Nurs > v.50(1) > 1143143

Kim and Park: Menstrual Cycle Characteristics and Premenstrual Syndrome Prevalence Based on the Daily Record of Severity of Problems in Korean Young Adult Women

Abstract

Purpose:

This descriptive study aimed to identify the menstrual cycle characteristics and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) prevalence in Korean young adult women using the retrospective and prospective Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP).

Methods:

In the first stage, participants included 151 nursing students studying in a university located in Seoul. Data were collected from April 20 to June 2, 2017, using the questionnaire on menstrual characteristics, pictorial blood assessment chart, and retrospective DRSP. In the second stage, participants included 17 students with PMS, based on the screening conducted in the first stage. Data were collected using the prospective DRSP from May 29 to 2 September 2, 2017.

Results:

Of the study sample, 104 participants (68.9%) had regular periods. Those with regular periods had 11.97 periods annually with a menstrual cycle of 29.38 days and a period duration of 5.72 days. Fifty-five participants (37.4%) showed menorrhagia. Sixty-four participants (42.4%) were found to have PMS based on their retrospective DRSP. When the ratio of women (52.9%) with PMS shown in the prospective DRSP was used as a positive predictive value, the estimated PMS prevalence was 22.4%.

Conclusion

This study provides clinically significant PMS prevalence among Korean young adult women, positive predictive value of the retrospective DRSP, and valid data to basically understand the menstrual cycle characteristics experienced by these women.

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Figure 1.
Participants flow chart.
jkan-50-147f1.tif
Table 1.
General & Menstrual Cycle Characteristics of Young Adult Women (N=151)
Variables Category n (%) M±SD Min~Max
General characteristics
  Age (yr) 20.61±1.73 18.00~25.00
  Marital status Unmarried 151 (100.0)
  Socioeconomic status High 20 (13.2)
  Middle 122 (80.8)
Low 8 (5.3)
Missing 1 (0.7)
  Body weight (kg) 52.93±6.68 39.00~80.00
  Height (cm) 161.42±4.73 152.00~171.00
  Body mass index (kg/m2) 19.90±3.59
Obesity (≥25) 5 (3.4)
Overweight (≥23, <25) 7 (4.6)
Normal (≥18.5, <23) 105 (69.5)
Underweight (<18.5) 34 (22.5)
  Menarche age (yr) ≤10 8 (5.3) 12.42±1.48 10.00~17.00
11~14 131 (86.8)
≥15 10 (6.6)
Missing 2 (1.3)
  No. of menstruation during Regular MC 11.97±0.58 9.50~15.00
    previous one year Irregular MC 8.96±2.81 1.50~14.00
  Menstrual cycle characteristics
    Regularity Regular MC 104 (68.9)
Irregular MC 47 (31.1)
  Frequency (day) 
    Regular MC ≤21 3 (2.9) 29.38±2.80 20.00~36.00
>21, <35 90 (86.5)
≥35 11 (10.6)
    Irregular MC Shortest 23.67±7.67 3.00~37.00
Longest 63.25±35.74 28.00~180.00
Duration (day) 
Regular MC ≤5 46 (44.2) 5.72±1.07 4.00~8.00
6~7 55 (52.9)
≥8 3 (2.9)
    Irregular MC Shortest 4.10±1.72 2.00~10.00
Longest 9.03±5.32 3.00~30.00
  Volume (PBAC score) <100 92 (62.6) 92.59±60.08 6.00~367.00
≥100 55 (37.4)

PBAC=Pictorial blood assessment chart; MC=Menstrual cycle; M=Mean; SD=Standard deviation.

Table 2.
Severity of Premenstrual Syndrome by Retrospective DRSP in Young Adult women (N=151)
DSM-Ⅳ Categories Items of DRSP Items
Categories
M±SD M±SD
Criteria A (No of items)
  Felt depressed/hopeless/worthless (3) 1. Felt depressed, sad, “down” or “blue”. 2.98±1.33 2.22±1.10
2. Felt hopeless. 1.89±1.21
3. Felt worthless, or guilty. 1.79±1.19
  Anxious, tense, or on edge (1) 4. Felt anxious, tense, “keyed up” or “on edge”. 2.79±1.37 2.79±1.37
  Mood swings/sensitive to rejection (2) 5. Had mood swings (Suddenly felt sad or tearful). 2.48±1.49 2.54±1.34
6. Was more sensitive to rejection or my feelings were easily hurt. 2.60±1.45
  Felt angry, irritable/conflicts or problems with 7. Felt angry, irritable. 3.03±1.48 2.43±1.15
    people (2) 8. Had conflicts or problems with people. 1.84±1.06
  Less interest in usual activity (1) 9. Had less interest in usual activities (eg. work, school, friends, 2.37±1.42 2.37±1.42
hobbies).
  Difficulty concentrating (1) 10. Had difficulty concentrating. 2.33±1.30 2.33±1.30
  Lethargic, tired, fatigued or lack of energy (1) 11. Felt lethargic, tired, fatigued, or had a lack of energy. 3.19±1.40 3.19±1.40
  Increased appetite/cravings for specific foods (2) 12. Had increased appetite or overeat. 3.05±1.51 2.68±1.35
13. Had cravings for specific foods. 2.31±1.51
  Slept more/trouble sleeping (2) 14. Slept more, took naps, found it hard to get up when intended. 2.72±1.61 2.15±1.10
15. Had trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep. 1.58±1.02
  Overwhelmed, can’s cope/Out of control (2) 16. Felt overwhelmed or that I could not cope. 1.41±0.84 1.44±0.79
17. Felt out of control. 1.48±0.90
  Physical symptoms (4) 18. Had breast tenderness. 2.28±1.38 2.29±0.92
19. Had breast swelling, felt “bloated”, or had weight gain. 2.72±1.46
20. Had headache. 2.04±1.30
21. Had joint or muscle pain. 2.13±1.35
Total of 21 items 48.96± ±17.83
  Criteria B (No of items)
    Functional impairment (3) 22. At work, at school, at home, or in daily routine, at least one of 2.60±1.37 2.27±0.92
the problems, noted above caused reduction of productivity or
inefficiency.
23. At least one of the problems noted above interfered with 2.42±1.35
hobbies of insufficiency.
24. At least one of the problems noted above interfered with 1.80±1.01
relationships with others.
T Total of 24 items 55.78± ±20.23

DRSP=Daily record of severity of problems; DSM=Diagnostic statistical manual; M=Mean; SD=Standard deviation.

Table 3.
Positive Predictive Value of Prospective DRSP and PMS Prevalence
Categories Score n (%)
Retrospective DRSP (N=151) ≥50 64 (42.4)
<50 87 (57.6)
Prospective DRSP (N=17)
  First criteria First menstrual cycle ≥30% 9 (52.9)
<30% 8 (47.1)
  Second menstrual cycle ≥30% 12 (75.0)
<30% 5 (25.0)
  Second criteria†† First menstrual cycle ≥3 6 (35.3)
<3 11 (64.7)
Second menstrual cycle ≥3 8 (47.1)
<3 9 (52.9)
Positive predictive value
≥30% or ≥3 9 (52.9)
PMS prevalence 22.4%

DRSP=Daily record of severity of problems; PMS=premenstrual syndrome.

At least 30% greater score in average to the luteal phase than to the follicular phase.

†† An average score of 3 or greater in at least three questions of the luteal phase than the follicular phase.

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