Few studies have focused on premenstrual symptoms in employees. This study explored the prevalence of premenstrual symptoms in 7,193 female employees aged 18-55 years in a large electronics manufacturer in Taiwan from August 2014 to December 2014 and examined whether regular exercise was associated with premenstrual symptoms. Information was collected on demographics, lifestyle, menstrual history, menstrual pain, and premenstrual symptoms. Half of the participants reported irregular menstruation; 79.4% reported a moderate menstruation amount, and half reported little impact of menstrual pain at work. In order of prevalence, symptoms were "easy to fatigue" (24%), "backache" (21.2%), and "abdominal bloating" (17.4%). Participants who engaged in regular exercise reported fewer backaches (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.68-0.91), somatic discomfort (aOR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.63-0.96), headache (OR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.69-0.98), diarrhea (aOR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.60-0.96), constipation (aaOR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.44-0.78), less irritability (aOR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.65-0.94), feeling morose and depressed (aOR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.58-0.95), crying (aOR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.27-0.87), and emotional lability (aOR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.58-0.91). Regular exercise was associated with decreased menstrual pain (aOR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.76-0.96). Our findings provide a better understanding of premenstrual symptoms in female workers, allowing for the development of premenstrual health programs to improve their health and quality of life.
Keywords: Employee; exercise; female; premenstrual symptoms.