Premenstrual syndrome and management behaviours in Turkey

Abstract

Objective: To reveal the ways women experience their symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and how they cope with these symptoms.

Design: This is a descriptive study using the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (PMSS) to measurement. This scale is 5‑point Likert‑type and consisting of 44 items.

Setting: This study focused on the experience of menstruation cycles within a group of women aged between 15‑49 years who attended the Yenişehir primary care centre in Turkey.

Subject: This descriptive study was carried out on 379 women who experienced menstruation between May and December 2006.

Result: The research data were collected by means of an introductory form and premenstrual syndrome scale. Among participants, 79% experienced moderate to high levels of PMS symptoms. The average scores of the subscales were highest regarding sleep changes, pain, fatigue and irritation.

Conclusion: There were limited numbers of women who used management methods oriented to PMS symptoms and these methods were mostly ineffective.