Menstruation-Related Symptoms and Associated Factors among Female University Students in Vietnam
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Design
2.2. Participants
2.3. Procedure
2.4. Measurements
2.4.1. Demographic and Lifestyle Measurements
2.4.2. Menstruation-Related Measurements
2.4.3. Stress-Related Measurements
2.5. Statistical Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Demographic Data
3.2. Menstruation-Related Characteristics
3.3. Awareness and Impact during the Pre- and Intra-Menstrual Phases
3.4. Intensity of Menstruation Pain and Pain Relieving Methods
3.5. Menstruation-Related Symptoms
3.6. Lifestyle and Stress
3.7. Association of Demographic, Lifestyle, and Stress with Total MDQ Scores during the Pre- and Intra-Menstrual Phases
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Mean | SD | Number | Percent | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age (year) | 19.3 | 1.3 | |||
Menarche Age (year) | 13.5 | 1.3 | |||
Height (cm) | 156.8 | 5.1 | |||
Weight (kg) | 48.8 | 7.5 | |||
BMI (kg/m2) | 19.8 | 2.8 | |||
Grade | 1st Year | 116 | 33.2 | ||
2nd Year | 92 | 26.4 | |||
3rd Year | 71 | 20.3 | |||
4th Year | 70 | 20.1 |
Item | Category | Number | Percent |
---|---|---|---|
Cycle Length | 25–38 days | 264 | 75.6 |
Others | 85 | 24.4 | |
Regularity | Regular | 124 | 35.5 |
Somewhat irregular | 174 | 49.9 | |
Irregular | 51 | 14.6 | |
Bleeding Days | 3–7 days | 338 | 96.8 |
Others | 11 | 3.2 | |
Perceived Bleeding Volume | Little | 21 | 6.0 |
Moderate | 300 | 86.0 | |
Plenty | 28 | 8.0 | |
Having Gynecological Consultation | Yes | 51 | 14.6 |
No | 298 | 85.4 | |
Reasons for Gynecological Consultation (multiple-answer) (n = 51) | Irregularity | 38 | |
Dysmenorrhea | 13 | ||
PMS | 2 | ||
Fibroma | 3 | ||
Endometriosis | 2 | ||
Adnexitis and vaginitis | 3 | ||
Regular check-up | 1 | ||
Consultants except Medical Doctors (multiple-answer) | Mother | 312 | |
Sisters | 78 | ||
Friends | 123 | ||
School health staff | 5 | ||
Other school staff | 6 | ||
Pharmacists | 21 | ||
Others | 2 |
Category | Phase | Number | Percent | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Impact on academic performance | Pre-menstrual | Not affected | 191 | 54.7 |
Hardly affected | 131 | 37.5 | ||
Quite affected | 24 | 6.9 | ||
Fully affected | 3 | 0.9 | ||
Intra-menstrual | No affected | 136 | 39.0 | |
Hardly affected | 160 | 45.8 | ||
Quite affected | 49 | 14.0 | ||
Fully affected | 4 | 1.1 | ||
Absence (at least a day) during last one year | Pre-menstrual | Absent | 31 | 8.9 |
No | 318 | 91.1 | ||
Intra-menstrual | Absent | 67 | 19.2 | |
No | 282 | 80.8 | ||
Knew about PMS | Knew a lot | 67 | 19.2 | |
Knew a little | 116 | 33.2 | ||
Did not know much | 70 | 20.1 | ||
Did not know | 96 | 27.5 | ||
Knew about PMS mostly from this source (n = 253) | Family (parents etc.) | 112 | 44.3 | |
Elementary school | 1 | 0.4 | ||
Junior high school | 37 | 14.6 | ||
High school | 45 | 17.8 | ||
University | 44 | 17.4 | ||
Knew about dysmenorrhea | Knew a lot | 149 | 42.7 | |
Knew a little | 160 | 45.8 | ||
Did not know much | 18 | 5.2 | ||
Did not know | 22 | 6.3 | ||
Knew about dysmenorrhea mostly from this source (n = 327) | Family (parents etc.) | 210 | 64.2 | |
Elementary school | 2 | 0.6 | ||
Junior high school | 52 | 15.9 | ||
High school | 46 | 14.1 | ||
University | 19 | 5.8 |
Item | Category | Number | Percent | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pain-relieving method applied | No | 183 | 52.4 | |
Yes | 166 | 47.6 | ||
Pain-relieving method (multiple-answer) | Warming | 130 | ||
Taking rest | 121 | |||
Foods (drinks) excluded | 44 | |||
Foods (drinks) incorporated | 34 | |||
Exercise | 21 | |||
Pharmacy painkillers | 63 | |||
Prescribed painkillers | 24 | |||
Traditional medicine | 9 |
Rank | Pre-Menstrual | n | % | Intra-Menstrual | n | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MDQ items | 1 | Backache | 248 | 71.1 | Fatigue | 315 | 90.3 |
2 | Cramps | 225 | 64.5 | Cramps | 308 | 88.3 | |
3 | Fatigue | 223 | 63.9 | Backache | 303 | 86.8 | |
4 | Irritability | 191 | 54.7 | Irritability | 283 | 81.1 | |
5 | Mood swings | 178 | 51.0 | Mood swings | 256 | 73.4 | |
6 | General aches and pains | 174 | 49.9 | General aches and pains | 247 | 70.8 | |
7 | Painful or tender breasts | 157 | 45.0 | Poor school/work performance | 213 | 61.0 | |
8 | Tension | 139 | 39.8 | Tension | 203 | 58.2 | |
9 | Forgetfulness | 133 | 38.1 | Poor motor coordination | 192 | 55.0 | |
10 | Distraction | 129 | 37.0 | Difficulty concentrating | 191 | 54.7 | |
Eating behaviors | 1 | Craving for snacks | 146 | 41.8 | Craving for snacks | 178 | 51.0 |
2 | Craving for sweet | 122 | 35.0 | Craving for sweet | 170 | 48.7 | |
3 | Increased appetite | 109 | 31.2 | Increased appetite | 147 | 42.1 |
MDQ Scales | Pre-Menstrual Phase | Intra-Menstrual Phase | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mdn | 25th | 75th | Mdn | 25th | 75th | p-Value | |
Pain | 4.0 | 2.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 4.0 | 10.0 | <0.001 |
Water retention | 1.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | <0.001 |
Autonomic reaction | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | <0.001 |
Negative affect | 2.0 | 0.0 | 6.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 8.0 | <0.001 |
Impaired concentration | 1.0 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 8.0 | <0.001 |
Behavior change | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 5.0 | <0.001 |
Arousal | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | <0.001 |
Control | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | <0.001 |
Total MDQ score | 12.0 | 4.0 | 25.5 | 23.0 | 12.0 | 38.0 | <0.001 |
Symptoms of Eating Behavior | |||||||
Increased appetite | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | <0.001 |
Craving for sweets | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | <0.001 |
Craving for snacks | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.5 | <0.001 |
Mean | SD | Number | Percent | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Breakfast Frequency (times/week) | 4.2 | 2.4 | |||
Sleeping Hours (hours/day) | 6.9 | 1.4 | |||
Exercise Frequency (times/week) | 2.3 | 1.9 | |||
Alcohol Drinking | Yes | 111 | 31.8 | ||
No | 238 | 68.2 | |||
Smoking | Yes | 2 | 0.6 | ||
No | 347 | 99.4 | |||
Living Status | Lives alone | 104 | 29.8 | ||
With family | 63 | 18.1 | |||
With friends | 119 | 34.1 | |||
In a dormitory | 63 | 18.1 | |||
Stress | |||||
Overall | No | 138 | 39.5 | ||
Mild | 137 | 39.3 | |||
Moderate | 67 | 19.2 | |||
Strong | 6 | 1.7 | |||
Severe | 1 | 0.3 | |||
Menstrual | No | 159 | 45.6 | ||
Mild | 118 | 33.8 | |||
Moderate | 61 | 17.5 | |||
Strong | 11 | 3.2 | |||
Severe | 0 | 0 | |||
Health | No | 207 | 59.3 | ||
Mild | 86 | 24.6 | |||
Moderate | 50 | 14.3 | |||
Strong | 6 | 1.7 | |||
Severe | 0 | 0 | |||
Family | No | 232 | 66.5 | ||
Mild | 83 | 23.8 | |||
Moderate | 24 | 6.9 | |||
Strong | 10 | 2.9 | |||
Severe | 0 | 0 | |||
Friends | No | 225 | 64.5 | ||
Mild | 77 | 22.1 | |||
Moderate | 42 | 12.0 | |||
Strong | 5 | 1.4 | |||
Severe | 0 | 0 | |||
Relationship | No | 283 | 81.1 | ||
Mild | 43 | 12.3 | |||
Moderate | 18 | 5.2 | |||
Strong | 5 | 1.4 | |||
Severe | 0 | 0 | |||
Academic | No | 77 | 22.1 | ||
Mild | 121 | 34.7 | |||
Moderate | 107 | 30.7 | |||
Strong | 36 | 10.3 | |||
Severe | 8 | 2.3 | |||
Career | No | 86 | 24.6 | ||
Mild | 115 | 33.0 | |||
Moderate | 88 | 25.2 | |||
Strong | 51 | 14.6 | |||
Severe | 9 | 2.6 | |||
Economic | No | 84 | 24.1 | ||
Mild | 115 | 33.0 | |||
Moderate | 80 | 22.9 | |||
Strong | 51 | 14.6 | |||
Severe | 19 | 5.4 |
Total MDQ Score | |||
---|---|---|---|
Pre-Menstrual Phase | Intra-Menstrual Phase | ||
Demographic | Age | 0.048 | −0.036 |
Menarche age | 0.030 | 0.023 | |
Height | −0.004 | −0.021 | |
Weight | −0.019 | −0.007 | |
BMI | 0.002 | 0.015 | |
Lifestyle | Breakfast frequency | −0.151 ** | −0.136 * |
Sleeping hours | −0.056 | −0.095 | |
Exercise frequency | 0.038 | 0.075 | |
Drinking alcohol | 0.141 ** | 0.041 | |
Smoking | 0.045 | 0.011 | |
Living status | 0.164 ** | 0.082 | |
Stress | Overall | 0.342 ** | 0.414 ** |
Menstrual | 0.392 ** | 0.538 ** | |
Health | 0.433 ** | 0.513 ** | |
Family | 0.279 ** | 0.374 ** | |
Friends | 0.363 ** | 0.434 ** | |
Relationship | 0.371 ** | 0.316 ** | |
Academic | 0.425 ** | 0.498 ** | |
Career | 0.334 ** | 0.458 ** | |
Economic | 0.380 ** | 0.451 ** |
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Matsuura, Y.; Tran, N.H.; Nguyen, B.T.; Phan, Q.N.; Nguyen, K.T.; Yasui, T. Menstruation-Related Symptoms and Associated Factors among Female University Students in Vietnam. Youth 2024, 4, 344-356. https://doi.org/10.3390/youth4010024
Matsuura Y, Tran NH, Nguyen BT, Phan QN, Nguyen KT, Yasui T. Menstruation-Related Symptoms and Associated Factors among Female University Students in Vietnam. Youth. 2024; 4(1):344-356. https://doi.org/10.3390/youth4010024
Chicago/Turabian StyleMatsuura, Yukie, Nam Hoang Tran, Binh Thanh Nguyen, Quang Ngoc Phan, Kien Trung Nguyen, and Toshiyuki Yasui. 2024. "Menstruation-Related Symptoms and Associated Factors among Female University Students in Vietnam" Youth 4, no. 1: 344-356. https://doi.org/10.3390/youth4010024
APA StyleMatsuura, Y., Tran, N. H., Nguyen, B. T., Phan, Q. N., Nguyen, K. T., & Yasui, T. (2024). Menstruation-Related Symptoms and Associated Factors among Female University Students in Vietnam. Youth, 4(1), 344-356. https://doi.org/10.3390/youth4010024