Premenstrual syndrome and its biopsychosocial symptoms among physiotherapy students in Eastern Delta: An exploratory study

Abstract

Background. During the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, a set of clinically significant physical and psychological symptoms known as premenstrual syndrome (PMS) emerge. This condition can be extremely distressing and hinder females’ ability to work. Purpose. To calculate the prevalence and severity of PMS and its biopsychosocial symptoms in female physiotherapy students in Eastern Delta and to investigate the relationship between various socio-demographic and reproductive factors. Methods. At Delta University for Science and Technology in Gamasa, Egypt, 396 female physiotherapy students participated in an exploratory cross-sectional survey with a mean age of 20.23±1.07 years and BMI with a mean of 28.86 ± 5.05 kg/m2. The premenstrual syndrome scale (PMSS) was adopted to assess the prevalence of PMS and related symptoms, and a self-administered questionnaire was used to gauge sociodemographic and reproductive data. Results: Three hundred ninety-six females of 438 females completed the study. In 85% of cases, PMS predominated research calculations. The PMS group displayed symptoms of fatigue, cramping in the abdomen, tension, mood fluctuations, and decreased productivity more overtly. According to a multiple linear regression analysis, living in a rural area, hitting menarche earlier, having a higher BMI, and having a family history were all significantly linked to PMS (p < 0.05). Conclusion. Female students have a high prevalence of PMS and its biopsychosocial symptoms. Therefore, adoption of preventive reproductive health and counseling services should be implemented as a standard component of routine clinical treatment for university students.