Premenstrual Syndrome and the Quality of Life in Nursing Students in Nepal: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affects all reproductive-age women mentally and physically, resulting in a lapse in Quality of life (QoL). In rural areas, PMS is more prominent than in urban areas. This study assesses PMS and QoL among nursing students to understand the effect of PMS on QoL.Data & Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 376 nursing students of five selective colleges in Madhesh province, Nepal. Participants were selected through non-probability enumerative sampling techniques. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire developed based on the PMS screening tool (PSST) for screening PMS, and the WHO Quality of Life Bref Scale to assess the level of QoL. Data analysis used descriptive statistics for the socio-demography of the participants and t-he Chi-square test for the association between PMS and socio-demographic variables. Data analysis was performed in R 4.5.0. Results: The mean age of respondents was 18.97±1.877 years. More than half (67.8%) of the respondents had moderate to severe PMS, while 32.2% had no/mild PMS. The study obtained a statistically significant association between PMS and the area of residence (p = 0.008) and dysmenorrhea (p < 0.001). In addition, PMS and QoL were negatively correlated (p < 0.001).Conclusion: Moderate to severe PMS was common among nursing students. Targeted awareness programs related to the PMS should be conducted in specific residential areas and age groups to improve the health quality of the teenagers. Acts and policies may consider emphasizing the health quality of teenagers, specifically in Madhesh province, to minimize the impact of PMS.