• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.61-71
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• 1999

Objective : The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between the premenstrual changes and stress perception in women with premenstrual changes($PMC^+$)(n=32) and those without premenstrual changes($PMC^-$)(n=62) by using prospective method. Method : The women who were older than 30 years of age and healthy were asked to complete a daily rating form based on DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for one menstrual cycle to assess the changes of psychological and physical symptoms across the menstrual cycle. They also completed 5-point likert scale to assess the perception of stress. Percent changes method was used to assess changes between follicular phase and luteal phase. Results : 1) No significant differences were found in demographic factors(age, education, marriage, employment) and risk factors(onset ages of menarche, regularities of premenstrual changes, duration of menstruation, cycle length, amount of menstruation, dysmenorrhea) between women with and without premenstrual changes. 2) There was a significant difference in mean luteal phase stress score between women with($1.92\pm0.63$) and without premenstrual changes($1.51\pm0.42$)(p<0.05). However no difference was found in mean follicular phase stress score between two groups($PMC^+$ : $1.67\pm0.43$, $PMC^-$ : $1.33\pm0.39$). 3) We divided women having premenstrual changes into two groups, higher stress group(stress score > 1.75(median)) and the lower stress group(stress score <1.75(median)). The higher stress group reported more luteal psychological symptoms than did the lower stress group(df=1, F=13.362, p<0.001). However, the groups did not differ in physical symptoms. Conclusion : In women with premenstrual changes, luteal stress score was higher than follicular stress score and this result suggested tha the perception of stress was related to psychological symptoms but not physical symptoms. These findings suggested that premenstrual change is associated with the stress level, and that it is important to manage the stress which is focused on the management of psychological symptom in the treamtment of prementrual syndrome.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.52-61
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• 2009

Objectives : The aim of this study was to assess health-related quality of life and evaluate the risk factors affecting severity of menopausal symptoms in early and late postmenopausal women based on the stages of reproductive aging workshop(STRAW) paradigm. Methods : This cross-sectional study examined 497 Korean postmenopausal women aged 41-59 years in Seoul and Gyeonggi province. We divided subjects into early postmenopause group and late postmenopause group. Menopause Rating Scale(MRS) was used to measure the quality of life. MRS scores, sociodemographic variables, smoking, alcohol use, age at menopause, and risk factors such as attitude to menopause, depression, history of premenstrual dysphoric disorder were compared between early and late postmenopause groups. Multiple regression analysis was performed in each group to assess the independent contribution of several variables. Results : Early postmenopause group showed significantly higher MRS scores, more negative attitude toward menopause, higher scores of depressive symptoms than late postmenopause group. Moderate to very severe hot flush group showed significantly, more negative attitude toward menopause, higher score of depressive symptoms, and higher MRS scores than none to mild hot flush groups. Depressive symptoms and attitude toward menopause contributed to the severity of menopausal symptom in both early and late postmenopause groups. Chronological age, age at menopause, history of PMDD contributed to severity of menopausal symptoms in early postmenopause group while marital status and occupation contributed in late postmenopause group. Conclusion : Health-related quality of life in postmenopause women was significantly lower in early postmenopause group than the late. Attitude toward menopause and depressive symptoms contributed significantly to quality of life in both early and late postmenopause groups but other variables contributed differently in each group. Further studies on clinical samples of postmenopausal women in order to confirm quality of life and its risk factor are needed to be done.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.146-156
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• 2016

Objectives : The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations between vasomotor symptoms and factors such as sociodemographics, health behaviors, medical condition, depression, stress, anxiety, attitude toward menopause, and quality of life. Methods : We conducted a cross-sectional study in peri- and post-menopausal women enrolled by the Korean Association of Health Promotion. Subjects submitted self-report questionnaires about vasomotor symptoms and other clinical symptoms. Associations between vasomotor symptoms and clinical variables were analyzed using stepwise multiple regression analyses. Results : 1951 women completed self-report questionnaires and 1022 women were enrolled in the study. The prevalence of vasomotor symptoms in peri- and post-menopausal women was 63.9%. Variables showing significant differences between subjects with vasomotor symptoms and subjects without them were score of Beck Depression Inventory, Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument-Korean Version, proportions of clinically significant depression(Beck Depression Inventory ${\geq}16$), Menopausal rating scale, attitude towards menopause, the 4 subscales of World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF(Physical health, psychological, social relationships, environment), and a History of Premenstrual syndrome/Premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Stepwise multiple regression analyses indicated that Beck Depression Inventory, Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument-Korean Version, Menopausal Rating Scale, and the Psychological subscale of World Health Organization Quality of Life -BREF show associations with vasomotor symptoms. Conclusions : Menopausal vasomotor symptoms are associated with various psychological factors, especially with depression. Midlife women suffering vasomotor symptoms should therefore be screened for depression. Future prospective studies where clinical subjects are diagnosed using structured interviews, focusing on the causal relationship between depression and vasomotor symptoms are necessary.