Abstract
This study aimed to systematically clarify, using a causal model, symptoms associated with menstruation in young women, and their related factors and effects on QOL. An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire was sent to female students in nursing and other disciplines of 5 universities in Kumamoto city and surrounding areas, from April to December 2012, and 1,045 responses were analyzed. Results indicated that a positive attitude toward menstruation and a healthy lifestyle contributed to relieving menstrual symptoms, whereas ineffective measures to reduce the symptoms actually increased them. Symptoms reduced QOL, which was improved by a healthy lifestyle, self-efficacy, and the use of stress coping strategies. A healthy lifestyle was directly related to symptom relief and improved QOL. Thus, a positive attitude toward menstruation, a healthy lifestyle, and the use of appropriate measures to cope with menstrual symptoms might improve the QOL of young women and relieve these symptoms; self-efficacy and support to promote the use of stress coping strategies might also be effective in this regard. In particular, a healthy lifestyle was directly related to symptom relief and improved QOL, which suggests that support is important.
