Determinants of premenstrual dysphoric disorder and associated factors among regular undergraduate students at Hawassa University Southern, Ethiopia, 2023: institution-based cross-sectional study

Abstract

Abstract Background Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a condition causing severe emotional, physical, and behavioral symptoms before menstruation. It greatly hinders daily activities, affecting academic and interpersonal relationships. Attention is not given to premenstrual disorders among female students in higher education. As a result, students are susceptible to stress, and their academic success is influenced by various factors, including their menstrual cycle, and the long-term outcomes and consequences are poorly researched. Even though PMDD has a significant negative impact on student’s academic achievement and success limited research has been conducted in low- and middle-income countries including Ethiopia, especially in the study setting. Therefore, a study is needed to assess premenstrual dysphoric disorder and associated factors among regular undergraduate students at Hawassa University. Methods An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 374 regular undergraduate female students at Hawassa University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences. A self-administered structured premenstrual symptoms screening tool for adolescents was used to assess premenstrual dysphoric disorder. The collected data were loaded into a statistical package for the social science version 25 and analyzed using it. Both bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Each independent variable was entered separately into bivariate analysis, and a variable with a p-value less than 0.25 were included in the multivariate analysis to adjust the possible confounders. Statistically significant was declared at a 95% confidence interval when variable with a p-value less than 0.05 in the multivariate analysis with premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Results The magnitude of premenstrual dysphoric disorder in this study was 62.6% (95% CI 57.4–67.5). Having severe premenstrual pain (AOR = 6.44;95%CI 1.02–40.73), having irregular menstrual cycle (AOR = 2.21; 95% CI 1.32–3.70), students who had poor social support (AOR = 5.10;95%CI, (2.76–12.92) and moderate social support (AOR = 4.93;95%CI (2.18–11.18), and students who used contraception (AOR = 3.76;95%CI, 2.21-6,40) were statistically significant factors with the outcome variable. Conclusion The prevalence of premenstrual dysphoric disorder was high as compared to other studies. There was a strong link between irregular menstrual cycle, severe menstrual pain (severe dysmenorrhea), poor social support, and contraception use with premenstrual dysphoric disorder. This needs early screening and intervention to prevent the complications and worsening of the symptoms that affect students’ academic performance by the institution.