Academic Discipline, Self-Medication, and Medication-Related Behaviors in Premenstrual Symptom Management Among Female University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Premenstrual symptoms are common among young women and may lead to repeated self-management and medication use. However, medication-related behaviors may vary across academic disciplines, and it remains unclear whether favorable medication-safety attitudes are reflected consistently in everyday behavior. Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated medication-related, self-care, complementary, and healthcare-seeking behaviors among female undergraduate students reporting premenstrual symptoms at Çukurova University, Türkiye, between January and June 2024. Data from 479 students across five faculties were collected using a 53-item, study-specific questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, symptom-management practices, healthcare-seeking behavior, medication use, self-medication, complementary and herbal product use, and medication-related attitudes. Associations between categorical variables were examined using Pearson’s chi-square test, with Cramer’s V reported as a measure of effect size. Results: Among participants, 88.1% reported regular menstrual cycles, and 30.5% reported previous education on premenstrual symptom management. Family members or friends were the most frequently reported source of advice (47.4%), followed by physicians (27.6%). Analgesics were commonly used (71.0%), 39.9% reported using medications already available at home, and 78.4% of medical students agreed that they used analgesics without physician recommendation. Herbal or aromatherapy-based approaches were reported by 29.9% of participants. Faculty-level differences were observed in medication-related behaviors, attitudes toward complementary approaches, and information-seeking patterns. Conclusions: Medical students reported more cautious attitudes toward herbal safety and informal information sources, although self-medication-related behaviors remained common. These findings support university-based health promotion strategies that emphasize practical medication-safety skills, appropriate healthcare seeking, evidence-based self-care, responsible use of complementary products, and critical evaluation of digital health information.