Premenstrual syndrome: consultation sources and the impact on women's quality of life

INTRODUCTION: The main aim of this study was to explore the sources of consultation that women seek during premenstural syndrome (PMS), and to establish the association between the severity of PMS and how it affects the quality of life. METHODS: Cross sectional study of 179 female patients, using an Arabic validated version of the shortened premenstrual assessment form, and a 7-item quality of life questionnaire that was developed by the researchers. The questionnaire was tested for validity and reliability via a pilot study before the initiation of data collection. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 19. RESULTS: 179 women participated in the study, with more than half of them aged between 20–30 years old. PMS prevalence was 88%; patient's predominantly sought help from their relatives (51%), followed by physicians (34%). There was no association found between the severity of premenstrual symptoms and seeking consultation. PMS symptoms affected women's daily activities (p-value 0.039), their satisfaction with their general appearance (p-value 0.001) and weight (p-value 0.022), and affected their relationships with family members (p-value 0.001) and other people (p-value 0.002). CONCLUSION: PMS is a common condition that affects women and their quality of life in several ways. Physicians and primary health care providers must be more vigilant in detecting the presence of PMS.