Journal Article

Psychological and Physical Stress Response and Incidence of Irregular Menstruation in Female University Employees: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Matsumura, Yuichiro, Yamamoto, Ryohei, Takeda, Sho, Maki Shinzawa, Nakamura, Yuko, Sakaguchi, Yusuke, Adachi, Hiroyoshi, Kanayama, Daisuke, Ueda, Yutaka, Nagatomo, Izumi, Ishibashi, Chisaki, Yagi, Asami, Matsui, Isao, Nakanishi, Kaori

2025

Overview

Background: This study aimed to assess the clinical relevance of three-dimensional occupational stress (job stressor score [A score], psychological and physical stress response score [B score], and social support for workers score [C score]) of the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ) in the national stress check program in Japan to irregular menstruation.Methods: The present retrospective cohort study included 2,078 female employees aged 19–45 years who had both annual health checkups and the BJSQ between April 2019 and March 2022 in a national university in Japan. The outcome was self-reported irregular menstruation measured at annual health checkups until March 2023. A dose-dependent association between BJSQ scores and incidence of irregular menstruation was examined using Cox proportional hazards models to calculate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of four quantile (0–49% [Q0–49], 50–74% [Q50–74], 75–89% [Q75–89], and 90–100% [Q90–100]) of the BJSQ scores.Results: During 2.0 years of the median observational period, 257 (12.4%) women reported irregular menstruation. B score, not A or C scores, was identified as a significant predictor of irregular menstruation (adjusted HR of A, B, and C scores per 1 standard deviation: 1.06 [95% confidence interval CI, 0.89–1.27], 1.35 [95% CI, 1.15–1.57], and 0.93 [95% CI, 0.80–1.08], respectively). Women with higher B score had a significantly higher risk of irregular menstruation in a dose-dependent manner (adjusted HR of Q0–49, Q50–74, Q75–89, and Q90–100: 1.00 [reference], 1.38 [95% CI, 1.00–1.90], 1.48 [95% CI, 1.00–2.18], and 2.18 [95% CI, 1.38–3.43], respectively).Conclusion: Psychological and physical stress response predicted irregular menstruation.

• Publisher: Japan Epidemiological Association
• Subject: Cohort analysis / Females / Menstruation / Occupational health / Occupational stress / Physical stress / Psychological stress / Social interactions / Statistical models / Stress response