The experiences of menstrual symptom changes among international students studying in China during the acculturation period: A phenomenology study

Alkhatib, Asem; Wu, Weizi; Ahmad, Hoda Alshikh; Suwal, Ratee Pakwan; Ni, Zhao; Li, Xianhong

doi:10.1016/j.ijnss.2023.03.004

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…Our results are consistent with the previous literature [1,34], which has confirmed that stress, lifestyle, and socio-demographic factors can impact menstrual changes, thus influencing the well-being and mental health of international students. The challenges of adapting to a new academic environment, cultural differences, language barriers, and being away from familiar support systems can all contribute to heightened stress levels and menstrual changes.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Menstrual Abnormalities in Female International Students in Japan: Changes during Pre-Arrival, Difficult, and Current Periods

Matsuura,

Abe,

Motoki

et al. 2023

EJIHPE

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The number of Japan’s international students has rapidly increased in the last decade. This study examines the relationship between menstrual abnormalities in cycle and symptoms, stress level, and lifestyle of female international students in Japan across three time periods, namely pre-arrival, difficult, and current time periods. A cross-sectional design was employed, and data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire, including the menstrual distress questionnaire (MDQ), between December 2022 and February 2023. The questionnaire was distributed to 56 female international students from two universities in Japan, and a total of 29 valid responses were collected. We found varying menstrual cycle abnormalities and severity of menstrual symptoms across three time periods, with the difficult period after arrival in Japan displaying the highest symptom severity. Higher stress levels were significantly associated with more severe menstrual symptoms. Lifestyle habits such as alcohol consumption were also linked to menstrual symptoms. The current study emphasizes the importance of providing menstrual education, support, and resources to address international students’ unique challenges in managing their menstrual health while studying abroad. By promoting awareness, education, and access to healthcare services, universities may contribute to international students’ well-being and academic success.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Menstrual Abnormalities in Female International Students in Japan: Changes during Pre-Arrival, Difficult, and Current Periods

Matsuura,

Abe,

Motoki

et al. 2023

EJIHPE

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“…Still, troublesome experiences of menstruation, such as severe menstrual pain associated with poor sleep quality ( 13 ), could negatively affect a woman's daily life and work ( 14 ). Our previous qualitative interviews indicated that international female students reported missing classes or examinations due to the severe menstrual symptoms caused by acculturation ( 15 ). Therefore, the menstrual health of international female students has become an important concern that needs to be addressed by school educators and healthcare providers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of traditional Chinese Baduanjin exercise on menstrual health among international female students studying in China: a randomized controlled trial

Alkhatib,

Alshikh Ahmad,

Zhang

et al. 2024

Front. Public Health

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BackgroundMenstrual symptoms were the common complaints of international female students during the acculturation period, and the symptoms negatively affected the daily life and school performance of those women. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the traditional Chinese Baduanjin exercise on reducing menstrual symptoms for international female students studying in China during the acculturation period.MethodsWe conducted a randomized controlled trial among 62 international female students who suffered menstrual symptoms during the first 6 months after arriving in China. The study was carried out at three campuses of the two largest universities in the capital of a province in south-central China from March to October 2021. After screening, participants were randomly assigned to a control or intervention group. The intervention group engaged in 24 weeks of Baduanjin exercise for at least 30 min per day. The menstrual symptoms, sociocultural adaptation, perceived stress, and sleep quality were evaluated at baseline, the 12th week, and the 24th week. The chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, paired sample t-test, and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA)were adopted to analyze the data using SPSS 25.0.ResultsTotally, 62 participants were enrolled in this study from 30 countries. Their mean age was 27.87 ± 5.58 years. None of the participants reported an adverse event. The results of the MANOVA test showed that the traditional Chinese Baduanjin exercise reduced the total score of MSQ among international female students (intervention: 47.83 ± 8.71 vs. control: 65.12 ± 16.86; F = 19.49, P < 0.01). In addition, the results of the MANOVA indicated statistically significant decreases in scores for the two subscales of MSQ: premenstrual symptoms (intervention: 17.07 ± 3.33 vs. control: 28.42 ± 7.56; F = 44.70, P < 0.01)and menstrual pain (16.03 ± 4.53 vs. 19.58 ± 5.14; F = 6.50, P < 0.05). Moreover, the results showed that traditional Chinese Baduanjin exercise reduced the scores of the sociocultural adaptation level, the perceived stress level, and sleep quality and improved the blood progesterone hormone and blood estrogen hormone.ConclusionRegular Baduanjin exercise is a safe, acceptable, and effective form of exercise to promote international female students' menstrual health, reduce stress levels, and improve sleep quality.Trial registrationwww.chictr.org.cn, Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2300072376.

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Cross-Cultural Comparisons of Ovulatory Cycles

Akanksha,

Vishwajit,

Snehal

2023

Encyclopedia of Sexual Psychology and Behavior

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The experiences of menstrual symptom changes among international students studying in China during the acculturation period: A phenomenology study

Cited by 4 publications

References 42 publications

Menstrual Abnormalities in Female International Students in Japan: Changes during Pre-Arrival, Difficult, and Current Periods

Menstrual Abnormalities in Female International Students in Japan: Changes during Pre-Arrival, Difficult, and Current Periods

Impact of traditional Chinese Baduanjin exercise on menstrual health among international female students studying in China: a randomized controlled trial

Cross-Cultural Comparisons of Ovulatory Cycles

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