Introduction: Evaluation the factors associated with premenstrual syndrome creates a general approach to management of stress. The aim of this study was determining the relationship between stress and symptoms of premenstrual syndrome in students of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences.
Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted on 115 student of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in 2013. Sampling was randomly. Data were collected by Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP2) questionnaire, a questionnaire of provisional diagnosis of premenstrual syndrome, and daily record form of symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 16 and Spearman correlation coefficient, Mann-Whitney, t-test and Kruskal-Wallis tests. P value less than 0.05 was considered significant.
Results: 65 students were suffering from premenstrual syndrome and severity of symptoms was mild in 24 cases (36.9%), moderate in 24 cases (36.9%), severe in 10 cases (15.4%) and very sever in 7 students (10.8%). The mean score of stress was significantly lower in student with non-premenstrual syndrome symptoms (p<0.001). There was a direct significant correlation between stress scores and intensity of premenstrual syndrome symptoms in student with premenstrual syndrome symptoms (p<0/001).
Conclusions: Students with less stress have lower premenstrual syndrome symptoms.