The impact of self-perceived job stress on menstrual patterns among Taiwanese nurses

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of self-reported job stress on menstrual patterns among nurses. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of nursing staff from five psychiatric institutions and four general hospitals in Taiwan. A total of 746 participants were eligible for the final analysis, among whom, 72.3% were ascertained as having a self-perceived high level of job stress. Self-perceived high job stress was significantly associated with irregular menstrual cycles [Adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 4.8, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.3-7.2] and longer menstrual bleeding periods (more than 7 d) [AOR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.7-3.7], but was not significantly related to long or short menstrual cycles. Overall, this study suggests that nurses' self-perceived job stress may be associated with certain aspects of menstrual dysfunction. Further investigations with prospective follow-up studies and urine hormonal measurements are now recommended to provide additional insight into the pathophysiological mechanisms of our findings.