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. 2022 May 2;3(1):443-449.
doi: 10.1089/whr.2021.0117. eCollection 2022.

Licit Substance Use and Premenstrual Syndrome Symptom Severity in Female College Students

Kathryn Polak  1 , Pamela Nora  1 , Bridget Perry  2 , Caitlin Martin  3 , Pam Dillon  4 , Leroy Thacker  5 , Sarah Nance  1 , Susan Kornstein  6   7 , Dace Svikis  1   6
Affiliations

Licit Substance Use and Premenstrual Syndrome Symptom Severity in Female College Students

Kathryn Polak et al. Womens Health Rep (New Rochelle). .

Abstract

Introduction: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affects the majority of women and is characterized by physical, behavioral, and mood symptoms, which can have a profound impact on quality of life. PMS symptoms have also been linked to licit substance use. This study examined the relationships between daily/problem use (DPU) of caffeine (Caf+), alcohol (Alc+), and tobacco (Cig+) and PMS symptomology in a sample of college women.

Methods: Participants (N = 196) completed an anonymous one-time health survey. Demographic, PMS symptomatology, and DPU of licit substance variables were examined. Independent t-tests compared PMS symptom scores in women with and without Caf+, Cig+, and Alc+ use. One-way analysis of variances examined the associations between PMS symptom severity and number of DPU-positive substances.

Results: PMS subscale severity (pain [F(2,190) = 4.47, p = 0.013], affective [F(2,192) = 8.21, p < 0.001], and water retention [F(2,191) = 13.37, p < 0.001]) and total PMS symptom severity [F(2,189) = 10.22, p < 0.001] showed a dose response effect, with the number of licit substances with DPU significantly associated with PMS symptom severity.

Conclusions: This study findings provide important new information about the relationship between PMS symptoms and at-risk substance use. These are cross-sectional data, however, and affirm a need for longitudinal research to better understand the associations, with a focus on potential benefits of education and intervention.

Keywords: alcohol; caffeine; college students; premenstrual syndrome; tobacco.

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Conflict of interest statement

No competing financial interests exist.

Figures

FIG. 1.
FIG. 1.
PMS symptom severity and number of licit substances positive for DPU. *Significantly higher scores (p < 0.05) compared with those reporting 0 substances positive for DPU. DPU, daily/problem use; PMS, premenstrual syndrome.
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