OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between psychological factors and efficacy of acupuncture on primary dysmenorrhea.

METHODSSixty cases of primary dysmenorrhea were observed. Before acupuncture treatment, the self-designed confidence questionnaire was used to assess patients' confidence in acupuncture efficacy. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was adopted to assess patients' tension level during acupuncture. Self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) were applied to assess the situations of patients' anxiety and depression. Eysenck's personality questionnaire (EPQ) and Cattell sixteen personality factors questionnaire (16PF) were provided to assess the personal characters of patients. Pain intensity, pain duration and accompanied symptoms were recorded before and after acupuncture treatment so as to assess the efficacy. Canonical correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between the psychological factors and acupuncture efficacy on primary dysmenorrhea.

RESULTSThere were significant differences in grading of dysmenorrhea, pain intensity score and pain duration after treatment as compared statistically with those before treatment (all P<0.001). The standardized coefficients of dominance (r=0.6797) and anxiety (r=-0.5906) in personality factors and the reduction of pain duration (r=0.9042) among efficacy indices were the highest. The overall correlation coefficients were all lower between the indices of psychological factors and canonical variables of dysmenorrhea efficacy.

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture efficacy on primary dysmenorrhea has a certain correlation with dominance and anxiety of patients' personality factors. But, the psychological factors do not play a leading role in acupuncture treatment.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Anxiety ; Dysmenorrhea ; psychology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Pain ; psychology ; Pain Management ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to construct a hypothetical structural model which explains premenstrual coping in university students and to test the fitness with collected data. METHODS: Participants were 206 unmarried women university students from 3 universities in A and B cities. Data were collected from March 29 until April 30, 2016 using self-report structured questionnaires and were analyzed using IBM SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 18.0. RESULTS: Physiological factor was identified as a significant predictor of premenstrual syndrome (t=6.45, p<.001). This model explained 22.1% of the variance in premenstrual syndrome. Psychological factors (t=-2.49, p=.013) and premenstrual syndrome (t=8.17, p<.001) were identified as significant predictors of premenstrual coping. Also this model explained 30.9% of the variance in premenstrual coping in university students. A physiological factors directly influenced premenstrual syndrome (β=.41, p=.012). Premenstrual syndrome (β=.55, p=.005) and physiological factor (β=.23, p=.015) had significant total effects on premenstrual coping. Physiological factor did not have a direct influence on premenstrual coping, but indirectly affected it (β=.22, p=.007). Psychological factors did not have an indirect or total effect on premenstrual coping, but directly affected it (β=-.17, p=.036). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that strategies to control physiological factors such as menstrual pain should be helpful to improve premenstrual syndrome symptoms. When developing a program to improve premenstrual coping ability and quality of menstrual related health, it is important to consider psychological factors including perceived stress and menstrual attitude and premenstrual syndrome.
Dysmenorrhea ; Female ; Humans ; Models, Structural* ; Premenstrual Syndrome ; Psychology ; Single Person ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of a curcumin supplementation on cognitive abilities in women suffering from premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and dysmenorrhea. METHODS: A randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted from December 2019 to March 2020. A total of 124 women who had both PMS and dysmenorrhea were enrolled, and were equally and randomly assigned to the curcumin group or placebo group, 62 cases in each. Each subject received either a capsule containing 500 mg of curcuminoid, or a placebo daily, for 10 days (7 days before and until 3 days after the onset of menstrual bleeding) over 3 menstrual cycles. The cognitive abilities questionnaire was used to measures cognitive functions in 7 specific areas. Adverse reactions were monitored during and after the trial in both groups. RESULTS: Administration of curcumin was associated with a significant increase in memory score (P=0.002), inhibitory control and selective attention (P=0.020), and total cognitive ability task (P=0.024). In addition, significant increments were found in scores of memory (3.5±3.1 vs. 0.4±3.8 in the curcumin and placebo groups, respectively; P=0.035), inhibitory control and selective attention (3.0±3.7 vs. 0.4±3.7; P=0.027) and total cognitive abilities (8.3±12.3 vs. 2.2±12.4; P=0.025) in the curcumin group versus placebo groups. Curcumin was safe and well-tolerable in current clinical trial. CONCLUSION Curcumin has a beneficial efficacy on cognitive function scores in women with PMS and dysmenorrhea, with improvements in memory, inhibitory control and selective attention. (Registration No. IRCT20191112045424N1, available at: https://www.irct.ir ).
Humans ; Female ; Curcumin/therapeutic use* ; Dysmenorrhea/drug therapy* ; Premenstrual Syndrome/psychology* ; Cognition ; Double-Blind Method

PURPOSE: In this study the impact of pro-environmental behavior, well-being oriented behavior, and use of cloth menstrual pads on dysmenorrhea in Korean female adults was examined according to the theory of reasoned action. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 195 Korean female adults. Data were collected from June to August, 2010 using self-report questionnaires. Data were analyzed using t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, multiple regression, and logit regression with STATA 10.0. RESULTS: Pro-environmental behavior explained 48% of well-being oriented behavior. Well-being oriented behavior explained 10% of cloth pad use. Use of cloth pad explained 4% of dysmenorrhea and 5% of menstrual pain. The path through well-being oriented behavior had a significant effect from pro-environmental behavior to cloth pad use. CONCLUSION: Use of cloth pad was significantly related with well-being oriented behavior, pro-environmental behavior, social influence, dysmenorrhea, and menstrual pain. The results of this study suggest that pro-environmental strategies can help health care providers diminish clients' menstrual symptoms. Nursing intervention can support pro-environmental behavioral strategies.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dysmenorrhea/*psychology ; Environment ; Female ; Humans ; Menstrual Hygiene Products ; Middle Aged ; Questionnaires ; Socioeconomic Factors

OBJECTIVETo study the impact of De-qi (, obtaining qi) and psychological factors on the efficacy of acupuncture treatment for primary dysmenorrhea, with an attempt to explore the relationship among De-qi, psychological factors, and clinical efficacy.

METHODSThe patients with primary dysmenorrhea were randomly assigned to a group of acupuncture with manual manipulation (manipulation group, n=67) and an acupuncture group without manipulation (non-manipulation group, n=64). Pain intensity and pain duration were used as measures for evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of the acupuncture treatment. De-qi, the sensations a patient experienced during the acupuncture treatment, was scored on a 4-point scale by the subjects. In addition, the psychological factors, including belief in acupuncture, the level of nervousness, anxiety, and depression, were quantitatively assessed. The personality of the subject was assessed using the Eysenck personality questionnaire (EPQ) and 16 personality factor questionnaire (16PF).

RESULTSComplete data were obtained from 120 patients, 60 patients in each group. There were statistically significant differences in pain intensity (W=2410.0, P<0.01) and pain duration (W=3181.0, P<0.01) between the two groups. The number of De-qi acupoints (W=1150.5, P<0.01) and the average intensity of De-qi (W=1141.0, P<0.01) were significantly higher in the manipulation group as compared with their non-manipulation counterparts. The correlation coefficients between De-qi and therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture were greater than those between psychological factors and therapeutic efficacy.

CONCLUSIONSCompared with the psychological factors, De-qi contributed more to the pain-relieving effect of acupuncture in subjects with primary dysmenorrhea. Moreover, manual manipulation is a prerequisite for eliciting and enhancing the De-qi sensations, and De-qi is critical for achieving therapeutic effects.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Dysmenorrhea ; psychology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Needles ; Pain Measurement ; Personality Inventory ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult