Prevalence and impact of premenstrual syndrome in adolescent schoolgirls in the United Arab Emirates

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to determine the prevalence, sociodemographics, and impact of premenstrual syndrome in adolescent schoolgirls in the United Arab Emirates, as there are no national data on this subject. METHODS: Adolescent girls aged 12-18 years who were at least 1 year postmenarchal were selected from five private and five public schools (n=70 x 10 = 700) in Al-Ain city using a multistage stratified cluster-sampling technique. Subjects were interviewed about cyclic and recurrent behavioral and somatic premenstrual symptoms during the last 3 months based on the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' criteria and their impact on quality of life using a structured and validated questionnaire. RESULTS: The prevalence of premenstrual syndrome was 16.4% (n=115). On logistic regression analysis, premenstrual syndrome was significantly associated with Emirati nationality (p=0.001), presence of the condition in sister(s) (p=0.002), and dysmenorrhea (p<0.001). Only 52 affected subjects (45.2%) were currently taking treatment for premenstrual syndrome and the majority (60%) used pharmacological therapy. Premenstrual syndrome had a moderate but significant negative impact (p<0.001) on the quality of life of affected girls, particularly school performance, social interactions, lifestyle, and emotional well-being. Difficulty in performing school functions and decrease in stigma were the two most adversely affected parameters. CONCLUSION: Premenstrual syndrome is a prevalent, yet undertreated, disorder in adolescent schoolgirls in the United Arab Emirates, which adversely affects their emotional well-being and educational performance, representing a significant public health problem. Premenstrual syndrome is significantly associated with ethnicity, family history, and dysmenorrhea in this group.