Correlation between Mental Health and Premenstrual Syndrome in Students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

Background: Premenstrual syndrome is considered as one of the most common psychiatric disorders that greatly disrupts women’s life. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between mental health and premenstrual syndrome among female students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This study was conducted in 2016 on a total of 168 students residing in dormitories of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences who were selected by block randomization method. Data collection tools included demographic data, PSST & GHQ questionnaire. Data were conducted through SPSS software, version 22, using descriptive tests and Spearman correlation coefficient. Results: Spearman correlation coefficient showed a significant correlation (P<0.001) between premenstrual syndrome score, mental health and all its dimensions except for social interactions (P=0.525). Moreover, anxiety and sleep disorders with a frequency of 51.2% were the most common mental disorder among the students. Conclusion: Our study showed that there was a correlation between premenstrual syndrome score and mental health in girls. Therefore, necessary measures should be taken by counseling centers in schools and universities to improve the mental health of people with premenstrual syndrome who have a higher risk of psychological and physical disorders.