Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33115437›Full record

ArticleBMC women's health2020

Women's experiences of receiving a diagnosis of premenstrual dysphoric disorder: a qualitative investigation.

Elizabeth Osborn, Anja Wittkowski, Joanna Brooks, Paula E Briggs, P M Shaughn O'Brien

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC women's health, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 43 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
43citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
5.4field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

43 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 70 citations in OpenAlex.

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  8. Challenges in diagnosing and supporting those with premenstrual dysphoric disorder: opportunities for GPs.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2026
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  18. CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Elizabeth OsbornDivision of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, The University of Manchester, 2nd Floor Zochonis Building, Brunswick Street, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
Anja WittkowskiDivision of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, The University of Manchester, 2nd Floor Zochonis Building, Brunswick Street, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK. anja.wittkowski@manchester.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0003-3806-0183
Joanna BrooksDivision of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, The University of Manchester, 2nd Floor Zochonis Building, Brunswick Street, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
Paula E BriggsLiverpool Women's Hospital, Liverpool, UK.
P M Shaughn O'BrienEmeritus Professor, School of Medicine, Keele University, Staffordshire, UK.
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust · GBKeele University · GBManchester Academic Health Science Centre · GBUniversity of Liverpool · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPremenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a complex and disabling condition that affects women of reproductive age, characterised by severe physical and psychological symptoms that occur cyclically and remit following the onset of menses. As the psychological nature and consequences of PMDD often seem indistinguishable from symptoms of other mental health difficulties, this condition presents distinct diagnostic challenges for healthcare professionals. Therefore, this study aimed to explore women's experiences of both having PMDD and of receiving this diagnosis.

methodsParticipant recruitment took place in the United Kingdom during 2018. Seventeen women who had been diagnosed with PMDD by a medical specialist and met the clinical criteria for PMDD on the premenstrual symptoms screening tool were interviewed. The data from these semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and inductively analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

resultsTwelve subthemes were identified and organised around four main themes: (1) A broken woman, (2) Misdiagnosis and the lost decades, (3) A life transformed and (4) Negotiating the aftermath.

conclusionsThe findings of this study highlight the critical importance of the accurate and timely detection of PMDD, with the aim of preventing women from experiencing severe and prolonged psychological distress. In order to achieve this, there needs to be a greater understanding and awareness of PMDD within both the medical and lay communities, alongside training for healthcare practitioners in PMDD assessment.

Indexed as

AdultFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMiddle AgedPremenstrual Dysphoric DisorderPremenstrual SyndromeQualitative ResearchUnited KingdomMisdiagnosisPMDDQualitative methodologyWomen’s health

Identifiers

PMID33115437
PMCPMC7594422
OpenAlexW3095691284

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.