Research Article

Development of an Assessment Tool of Menstrual-Cycle-Related Signs and Symptoms Based on Thai Traditional Medicine Principles for Evaluation of Women’s Health

Table 7

The complete list of items and their components in the final MCSQ.

Section 1. Menstrual-cycle-related signs and symptoms (rating scale)

1.1 The problem of blood in the uterus
 1. You have thick texture menstrual blood.
 2. Your menstrual blood looks like egg whites.
 3. Your menstrual blood smells stronger than usual or smells like rotten meat.
 4. You have a lot of menstrual blood clots which are released every day, or large-size clots (greater than or equal to 2 centimeters).
 5. You have a lot of vaginal discharge that you need to put on a sanitary pad and your vaginal discharge is eggy, clear, stretchy, or thick white.
 6. Your vaginal discharge is an abnormal color with a bad smell (abnormal color: yellow, green, brown or blood).
 7. Before the menstrual period, you have vaginal discharge and vaginal itching.

1.2 Irregular menstrual blood
 8. You have light or heavy menstrual bleeding throughout the cycle (using less than 2 pads per day or more than 4 pads per day).
 9. Your menstrual blood color is pale red, bright red, orange, dark red, dark brown, or black.
 10. In one period, you have many colors of menstrual blood.

1.3. The musculoskeletal system
 11. Hot and cold flushes or fever
 12. Muscle pain/lower back pain
 13. Joint pain/bone pain
 14. Fatigue
 15. Breast pain/tender breasts
 16. Abdominal cramps

1.4. The digestive system (intestine and mesentery)
 17. Loose/watery stools five or six times a day
 18. Colic in the abdomen or flanks
 19. Abdominal bloating/abdominal discomfort

1.5 The heart (mind aspect)
 20. Waking up with a fright/insomnia
 21. Irritability and/or anger
 22. Depression and/or crying
 23. Anxiety and/or tension

Section 2. Associated factors (rating scale)
2.1. Emotion and feeling
 24. You feel anxious or worried.
 25. You are irritable or angry.
 26. You are bored, depressed, or in despair.

Section 2. Associated factors (rating scale)
 2.2. Types of drink
 27. You like to drink ice-beverages or frappe.
 28. You like to drink caffeine beverages (e.g., chocolate, tea, carbonated beverage, energy drinks, coffee).

2.3. Types of food
 29. You like to eat strong-flavored foods, e.g., extremely spicy, extremely sour.
 30. You eat preserved food and/or uncooked food, e.g., fruit preserves, sashimi, and medium to raw meat.

2.4. Environment
 31. You work or stay in a bad environment for a long time a day (in the area too hot or cold/exposed to or inhaling chemicals).
 32. In one day, you must enter and exit the area with temperature differences (hot and cold).

2.5. Behaviors and health problems
 33. You work hard (using a lot of energy or muscle power).
 34. You have sleep problems, e.g., insomnia, waking up with a fright in the middle of the night.
 35. You have constipation.

Section 2. Associated factors (multiple choice)
 2.6. Personal data
 36. How old are you?
 37. Date and time of birth
 38. Weight and height

2.7. Medical history
 39. What is your health problem or underlying disease?
 40. Have you ever had an accident that injured your lower back or lower abdomen?
 41. Have you ever had abdominal surgery?

2.8. Ob-gynecologic history
 42. How old were you when your first period start?
 43. Have you ever given birth to a child?
 44. What postpartum care did you have?
 45. Have you ever miscarried?
 46. Have you ever had a curettage?
 47. Have you ever used hormonal birth control?
 48. Has your grandmother or mother had a menstrual disorder history?
 49. When did your menstrual symptoms first occur?