EPIDEMIOLOGY OF PREMENSTRUAL SYMPTOMS IN A NONCLINICAL SAMPLE .1. PREVALENCE, NATURAL-HISTORY AND HELP-SEEKING BEHAVIOR

  • 1 April 1988
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 33  (4) , 340-346
Abstract
A stratified sample of 996 nursing school graduates from 1963 to 1984 was surveyed by mail regarding menstrual cycle characteristics. The 730 respondents reported an 87% overall lifetime prevalence of premenstrual symptoms. When the symptoms were categorized according to severity, only 3.2% of the respondents reported severe symptoms. Symptomatic women used diet change (24.6%), exercise (41.8%) and vitamins (18.9%) as self-help measures. Seventeen percent sought advice from a physician. Drug use was common; 22% were using a drug for symptoms at the time of the survey. Despite the common use of treatment, few women reported a significant work impairment. These findings support the conclusion that premenstrual symptoms are common but do not usually interfere with functioning.