Premenstrual dysphoric disorder amongst Nigerian university students: prevalence, comorbid conditions, and correlates

Summary Aims: The rate of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) amongst sub-Saharan Africans is unknown. This study aimed to estimate the rate of PMDD amongst Nigerian undergraduates and to evaluate psychosocial correlates and comorbid psychiatric conditions. Method: Female university students (n = 410) completed questionnaires detailing sociodemographic, menstruation, and gynaecological history. They also completed the Big Five Personality Inventory (BFI), and the presence of PMDD and any other DSM-IV axis 1 psychiatric diagnosis was assessed with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Results: The prevalence of PMDD was 6.1% and the correlates included older age (p = 0.001), painful menstruation (p = 0.006), and high score on neuroticism scale (p = 0.019). Compared with participants without PMDD, participants with PMDD have significantly higher rates for the following psychiatric diagnoses: dysthymia (odds ratio [OR], 3.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.68–8.69), major depressive disorder (OR, 17.00; 95% CI, 6.72–43.00), panic disorder (OR, 4.39; 95% CI, 1.35–14.30), and generalised anxiety disorder (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.21–17.83). Conclusion: The rate of PMDD in sub-Saharan African women was comparable to that in the western cultures. Planning and implementing an effective strategy to manage perimenstrual problems in this region should be an issue of priority. Correspondence: A. O. Adewuya, Department of Psychiatry, Lagos State University College of Medicine, PMB 21266, Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria