Premenstrual Syndrome Is Associated with Dietary and Lifestyle Behaviors among University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study from Sharjah, UAE

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a cyclical late luteal phase disorder of the menstrual cycle whereby the daily functioning of women is affected by emotional and physical symptoms substantially interfering with their quality of life. Little is known about PMS in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of PMS among university students in Sharjah, UAE, and clarify its associations with dietary habits, lifestyle behaviors, and anthropometric factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted on female college students at the University of Sharjah, UAE. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires and anthropometric assessments. Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed. Participants were 300 adult university students aged 18–24 years (mean age 20.07 ± 1.53 years). In total, 95% of participants reported at least one PMS symptom during their menstrual period. The prevalence of PMS was 35.3%, with mild symptoms being the most commonly reported. Multiple regression analysis showed that smoking was associated with increased risk of reporting psychological (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.1–5.8; p < 0.05) and behavioral symptoms (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.0–4.9; p < 0.05), while high calorie/fat/sugar/salt foods intake was associated with increased risk of reporting physical symptoms (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.4–7.3; p < 0.05). However, fruit consumption (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.125–0.92; p < 0.05) was associated with a decreased risk of reporting behavioral symptoms. A high prevalence of PMS was reported among university students, with smoking and high calorie/fat/sugar/salt food consumption identified as strong risk factors for PMS.

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Prevalence of premenstrual syndrome and its association with psychosocial and lifestyle variables: a cross-sectional study from Palestine

BMC Women s Health ◽

10.1186/s12905-021-01374-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Reem Abu Alwafa ◽

Manal Badrasawi ◽

Raheeq Haj Hamad

Keyword(s):

Premenstrual Syndrome ◽

Dietary Habits ◽

Psychological Symptoms ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Physical Symptoms ◽

Female Students ◽

Behavioral Symptoms ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Psychosocial Status

Abstract Background Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a very common problem with symptoms that can negatively affect normal daily life. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence of PMS symptoms and their relationship with psychosocial status and lifestyle of female students at An-Najah National University in Palestine. A sample of 398 female students was randomly selected to participate in the study. Arabic Premenstrual Scale (A-PMS) was used for PMS assessment. Psychosocial variables were determined using the DASS-21 Arabic version, and dietary habits were measured using a 24 item self-reported questionnaire. Data was analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Chi-square tests using SPSS software version 23. Results The 398 participants (100%) suffered from some kind of PMS symptoms; 398 (100%) had physical symptoms, 397 (99.7%) had psychological symptoms, and 339 (85.2%) had behavioral PMS symptoms. All PMS symptoms were significantly associated with student psychosocial status (p < 0.01). Preferring a certain type of food during menstruation was significantly related to psychological PMS symptoms (p < 0.001), and physical symptoms (p < 0.01). Following a diet was significantly related to physical symptoms (p < 0.05) and behavioral symptoms (p < 0.001). Moreover, drinking herbal tea was significantly related to physical symptoms (p < 0.001) and behavioral symptoms (p < 0.05). Conclusion The findings of the study revealed a relatively high prevalence of PMS syndrome with a significant relationship with dietary habits and psychosocial status.

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Association of eHealth Literacy With Lifestyle Behaviors in University Students: Questionnaire-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Journal of Medical Internet Research ◽

10.2196/18155 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (6) ◽

pp. e18155

Author(s):

Saki Tsukahara ◽

Satoshi Yamaguchi ◽

Futaba Igarashi ◽

Reiko Uruma ◽

Naomi Ikuina ◽

...

Keyword(s):

University Students ◽

Healthy Lifestyle ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Lifestyle Behaviors ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Ehealth Literacy ◽

The Mean ◽

Participant Characteristics ◽

Literacy Level

Background Maintenance of good health and a healthy lifestyle have significant impacts on the lives of university students. However, university students are prone to engage in risky health behaviors, resulting in impaired health status. Electronic health (eHealth) literacy is an important factor in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. However, no studies have assessed the eHealth literacy levels and the associated lifestyle behaviors among university students in Japan. Objective The purposes of this study were to clarify the eHealth literacy level, the participant characteristics associated with eHealth literacy, and the association of eHealth literacy with lifestyle behaviors of students in a Japanese university. Methods A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study of 3183 students at a national university in Japan was conducted. eHealth literacy was quantified using the Japanese version of the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS). The association between participant characteristics (gender, school year, department of study, and living status) and eHEALS score was assessed using t tests. Additionally, the associations of eHealth literacy with lifestyle behaviors (exercise, smoking, alcohol consumption, etc.) were evaluated using logistic regression analyses. Results The mean eHEALS score was 23.6/40 points. The mean eHEALS score for students in medical departments was 27.0/40 points, which was 2.9 points higher than that of nonmedical students (P<.001). Similarly, the graduate school participants had higher scores than the undergraduate students. The proportion of participants who exercised regularly was higher in the high eHEALS score group than in the low score group, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.39 (P<.001). Conclusions The eHealth literacy level of university students in Japan was comparable to that of the general Japanese population. Graduate students, as well as those in medical departments, had higher eHealth literacy. Furthermore, students with higher eHealth literacy had better exercise routines.

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A cross-sectional study on associations of physical symptoms, health self-efficacy, and suicidal ideation among Chinese hospitalized cancer patients

BMC Psychiatry ◽

10.1186/s12888-020-02945-x ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Qingyi Xu ◽

Shuhua Jia ◽

Maiko Fukasawa ◽

Lin Lin ◽

Jun Na ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Logistic Regression ◽

Suicidal Ideation ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Epidemiological Studies ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Physical Symptoms ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Increased Risk

Abstract Background Epidemiological studies have shown increased risk of suicide in cancer patients compared with the general population. The present study aimed to examine the association between physical symptoms and suicidal ideation in Chinese hospitalized cancer patients and test the modifying effect of health self-efficacy on the association. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 544 hospitalized cancer patients in two general hospitals in northeast China via face-to-face interviews. Suicidal ideation was measured by using the first four items on the Yale Evaluation of Suicidality scale and then dichotomized into a positive and negative score. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the impacts of physical symptoms, health self-efficacy, and their interactions on suicidal ideation. Results The suicidal ideation rate was 26.3% in the enrolled cancer patients. Logistic regression showed that insomnia (aOR = 1.84, 95% CI 1.13 to 3.00, p = 0.015) and lack of appetite (aOR = 2.14, 95% CI 1.26 to 3.64, p = 0.005) were significantly associated with suicidal ideation. Low health self-efficacy had a marginally significant exaggerating effect on the association between pain and suicidal ideation (aOR = 2.77, 95% CI 0.99 to 7.74, p = 0.053), after adjusting for significant socio-demographics, clinical characteristics, and depression. Conclusions These findings demonstrate significant associations between physical symptoms (insomnia and/or lack of appetite) and suicidal ideation and highlight the potential modifying role of health self-efficacy in the identification and prevention of suicide among cancer patients.

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A cross-sectional study on associations of physical symptoms, health self-efficacy, and suicidal ideation among Chinese hospitalized cancer patients

10.21203/rs.3.rs-21297/v4 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Qingyi Xu ◽

Shuhua Jia ◽

Maiko Fukasawa ◽

Lin Lin ◽

Jun Na ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Logistic Regression ◽

Suicidal Ideation ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Epidemiological Studies ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Physical Symptoms ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Increased Risk

Abstract Background: Epidemiological studies have shown increased risk of suicide in cancer patients compared with the general population. The present study aimed to examine the association between physical symptoms and suicidal ideation in Chinese hospitalized cancer patients and test the modifying effect of health self-efficacy on the association. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 544 hospitalized cancer patients in two general hospitals in northeast China via face-to-face interviews. Suicidal ideation was measured by using the first four items on the Yale Evaluation of Suicidality scale and then dichotomized into a positive and negative score. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the impacts of physical symptoms, health self-efficacy, and their interactions on suicidal ideation.Results: The suicidal ideation rate was 26.3% in the enrolled cancer patients. Logistic regression showed that insomnia (aOR=1.84, 95% CI 1.13 to 3.00, p =0.015) and lack of appetite (aOR=2.14, 95% CI 1.26 to 3.64, p =0.005) were significantly associated with suicidal ideation. Low health self-efficacy had a marginally significant exaggerating effect on the association between pain and suicidal ideation (aOR = 2.77, 95% CI 0.99 to 7.74, p =0.053), after adjusting for significant socio-demographics, clinical characteristics, and depression. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate significant associations between physical symptoms (insomnia and/or lack of appetite) and suicidal ideation and highlight the potential modifying role of health self-efficacy in the identification and prevention of suicide among cancer patients.

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Association of eHealth Literacy With Lifestyle Behaviors in University Students: Questionnaire-Based Cross-Sectional Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.18155 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Saki Tsukahara ◽

Satoshi Yamaguchi ◽

Futaba Igarashi ◽

Reiko Uruma ◽

Naomi Ikuina ◽

...

Keyword(s):

University Students ◽

Healthy Lifestyle ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Lifestyle Behaviors ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Ehealth Literacy ◽

The Mean ◽

Participant Characteristics ◽

Literacy Level

BACKGROUND Maintenance of good health and a healthy lifestyle have significant impacts on the lives of university students. However, university students are prone to engage in risky health behaviors, resulting in impaired health status. Electronic health (eHealth) literacy is an important factor in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. However, no studies have assessed the eHealth literacy levels and the associated lifestyle behaviors among university students in Japan. OBJECTIVE The purposes of this study were to clarify the eHealth literacy level, the participant characteristics associated with eHealth literacy, and the association of eHealth literacy with lifestyle behaviors of students in a Japanese university. METHODS A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study of 3183 students at a national university in Japan was conducted. eHealth literacy was quantified using the Japanese version of the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS). The association between participant characteristics (gender, school year, department of study, and living status) and eHEALS score was assessed using t tests. Additionally, the associations of eHealth literacy with lifestyle behaviors (exercise, smoking, alcohol consumption, etc.) were evaluated using logistic regression analyses. RESULTS The mean eHEALS score was 23.6/40 points. The mean eHEALS score for students in medical departments was 27.0/40 points, which was 2.9 points higher than that of nonmedical students (P<.001). Similarly, the graduate school participants had higher scores than the undergraduate students. The proportion of participants who exercised regularly was higher in the high eHEALS score group than in the low score group, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.39 (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS The eHealth literacy level of university students in Japan was comparable to that of the general Japanese population. Graduate students, as well as those in medical departments, had higher eHealth literacy. Furthermore, students with higher eHealth literacy had better exercise routines.

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Lifestyle Behaviors and Suicide-Related Behaviors in Adolescents: Cross-Sectional Study Using the 2019 YRBS Data

Frontiers in Public Health ◽

10.3389/fpubh.2021.766972 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Xiaozhi Li ◽

Guijun Chi ◽

Alyx Taylor ◽

Si-Tong Chen ◽

Aamir R. Menon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

High School Students ◽

Suicide Attempt ◽

Sleep Duration ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Lifestyle Behaviors ◽

Sectional Study ◽

School Students ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Increased Risk

Objective: The purpose of this research was to investigate the prevalence of lifestyle behaviors and suicide-related behaviors and the association between them using a nationally representative sample of adolescents from the USA.Methods: 13,677 high school students aged 14-18 years were included in this cross-sectional study. The research data were retrieved from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System Survey in 2019. All data on age, sex, grade, race, physical activity, television time, fruit intake, and suicide-related behavior were self-reported by students. Logistic regression models were adopted to examine the association between lifestyle behaviors and the suicide-related behaviors.Results: Students who played video/computer games for ≥2 h had higher risk of suicide attempt (OR = 1.55, 95%CI: 1.30-1.85). Daily sleep duration of ≤8 h was positively associated with considering a suicide attempt (OR = 1.99, 95%CI: 1.62-2.43). In addition, participants who did not engage in any sport team were more likely to report considering a suicide attempt (OR = 1.50, 95%CI: 1.24-1.81).Conclusion: This research suggests that some lifestyle behaviors (e.g., time for video or computer use, sleep duration, sports team participation, regular breakfast intake, and substance use) are associated with increased risk of suicidal behavior and ideation in high school students. To identify the specific effect of multiple lifestyle factors in influencing the risk of suicide-related behaviors in high school students, longitudinal studies are warranted in future.

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A cross-sectional study on associations of physical symptoms, health self-efficacy, and suicidal ideation among Chinese hospitalized cancer patients.

10.21203/rs.3.rs-21297/v3 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Qingyi Xu ◽

Shuhua Jia ◽

Maiko Fukasawa ◽

Lin Lin ◽

Jun Na ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Logistic Regression ◽

Suicidal Ideation ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Epidemiological Studies ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Physical Symptoms ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Increased Risk

Abstract Background: Epidemiological studies have shown increased risk of suicide in cancer patients compared with the general population. The present study aimed to examine the association between physical symptoms and suicidal ideation in Chinese hospitalized cancer patients and test the modifying effect of health self-efficacy on the association. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 544 hospitalized cancer patients in two general hospitals in northeast China via face-to-face interviews. Suicidal ideation was measured by using the first four items on the Yale Evaluation of Suicidality scale and then dichotomized into a positive and negative score. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the impacts of physical symptoms, health self-efficacy, and their interactions on suicidal ideation. Results: The suicidal ideation rate was 26.3% in the enrolled cancer patients. Logistic regression showed that insomnia (aOR=1.84, 95% CI 1.13 to 3.00, p =0.015) and lack of appetite (aOR=2.14, 95% CI 1.26 to 3.64, p =0.005) were significantly associated with suicidal ideation. Low health self-efficacy had a marginally significant exaggerating effect on the association between pain and suicidal ideation (aOR = 2.77, 95% CI 0.99 to 7.74, p =0.053), after adjusting for significant socio-demographics, clinical characteristics, and depression. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate significant associations between physical symptoms (insomnia and/or lack of appetite) and suicidal ideation and highlight the potential modifying role of health self-efficacy in the identification and prevention of suicide among cancer patients.

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What Determines The Migration Intentions Of University Students?

Balkan Region Conference on Engineering and Business Education ◽

10.2478/cplbu-2014-0042 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 193-198

Author(s):

Heiko Haase ◽

Arndt Lautenschläger

Keyword(s):

University Students ◽

Career Choice ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Demographic Characteristics ◽

Migration Decision ◽

Considerable Proportion ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Intention To Stay ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The University

AbstractThe paper aims at exploring determinants of the university students' intentions to stay within their university region. At this, we presume that students' career choice motivations are related to their professional intentions, which again, along with demographic characteristics, affect their migration decision. Our analysis is based on a cross-sectional study of 2,353 students from three different higher education institutions, two of them located in Germany and one in Namibia. Results indicate that in Germany migration matters because a considerable proportion of students intend to leave the university region after graduation. At this, we found that the students' geographical provenance exerts the most significant effect on the intention to stay. Moreover, certain professional intentions were directly and some career choice motivations were indirectly linked with the intention to remain at the university location. We present several conclusions and implications.

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SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and asymptomatic viral carriage in healthcare workers: a cross-sectional study

Thorax ◽

10.1136/thoraxjnl-2020-215414 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 75 (12) ◽

pp. 1089-1094 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Adrian Shields ◽

Sian E Faustini ◽

Marisol Perez-Toledo ◽

Sian Jossi ◽

Erin Aldera ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Venous Blood ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Nasopharyngeal Swab ◽

Sectional Study ◽

University Hospitals ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

General Internal ◽

Increased Risk

ObjectiveTo determine the rates of asymptomatic viral carriage and seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in healthcare workers.DesignA cross-sectional study of asymptomatic healthcare workers undertaken on 24/25 April 2020.SettingUniversity Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHBFT), UK.Participants545 asymptomatic healthcare workers were recruited while at work. Participants were invited to participate via the UHBFT social media. Exclusion criteria included current symptoms consistent with COVID-19. No potential participants were excluded.InterventionParticipants volunteered a nasopharyngeal swab and a venous blood sample that were tested for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein antibodies, respectively. Results were interpreted in the context of prior illnesses and the hospital departments in which participants worked.Main outcome measureProportion of participants demonstrating infection and positive SARS-CoV-2 serology.ResultsThe point prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 viral carriage was 2.4% (n=13/545). The overall seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was 24.4% (n=126/516). Participants who reported prior symptomatic illness had higher seroprevalence (37.5% vs 17.1%, χ2=21.1034, p<0.0001) and quantitatively greater antibody responses than those who had remained asymptomatic. Seroprevalence was greatest among those working in housekeeping (34.5%), acute medicine (33.3%) and general internal medicine (30.3%), with lower rates observed in participants working in intensive care (14.8%). BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) ethnicity was associated with a significantly increased risk of seropositivity (OR: 1.92, 95% CI 1.14 to 3.23, p=0.01). Working on the intensive care unit was associated with a significantly lower risk of seropositivity compared with working in other areas of the hospital (OR: 0.28, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.78, p=0.02).Conclusions and relevanceWe identify differences in the occupational risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 between hospital departments and confirm asymptomatic seroconversion occurs in healthcare workers. Further investigation of these observations is required to inform future infection control and occupational health practices.

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