The Changes in Menstrual and Menstrual-Related Symptoms among Japanese Female University Students: A Prospective Cohort Study from Three Months to Nine Months after Admission.

Matsuura, Yukie; Tran, Nam Hoang; Yasui, Toshiyuki

Menstrual and menstrual-related symptoms can significantly impact an individual's physical and psychological health. Understanding how these symptoms evolve over time is crucial to provide appropriate support and healthcare services to young women. This study aimed to investigate changes in menstrual and menstrual-related symptoms among first-year female university students. A prospective longitudinal design was used to compare the symptom profiles between two time points (three and nine months after admission). Out of 100 female university students, 30 responses were analyzed. Data on menstrual and menstrual-related symptoms were collected using standardized questionnaires focusing on menstrual status and the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ); no notable changes occurred between the time points. Approximately half reported having irregular menstruation during the three time periods. Among the sub-scales, premenstrual "impaired concentration" showed a tendency to be lower, whereas menstrual "water retention" tended to be higher in timepoint 2 compared to timepoint 1. "Distractible" was found to be significantly lower in timepoint 2 compared to timepoint 1. There was a significant association between a sleep duration of <7 h and worsened MDQ scores. These findings may underscore the importance of providing comprehensive lifestyle and menstrual education to new university students, along with access to appropriate medical care.

JAPAN; LIFESTYLES; STATISTICS; MENSTRUATION disorders; PSYCHOLOGY of college students; AROUSAL (Physiology); MENSTRUAL cycle; SELF-evaluation; HABIT; MENSTRUATION; FISHER exact test; SLEEP duration; UNDERGRADUATES; QUESTIONNAIRES; HEALTH behavior; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; ATTENTION; RESEARCH funding; DATA analysis; DATA analysis software; WOMEN'S health; LONGITUDINAL method; PSYCHOLOGICAL distress; BEHAVIOR modification; SYMPTOMS

Healthcare (2227-9032), 2023, Vol 11, Issue 18, p2557

2227-9032

Academic Journal

10.3390/healthcare11182557