PSYCHO-SOCIAL ASPECTS OF QUALITY OF LIFE IN WOMEN WITH ENDOMETRIOSIS

Objectives. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of endometriosis on the quality of life. Patients and methods. Study group of 205 women, aged between 18-45 years old, hospitalized in the "Cuza-Voda" Hospital of Iasi, between 2013-2015. We used the Fertility Problem Inventory, the Endometriosis Health Profile and the Beck Depression Inventory. Results. We first realized a descriptive analyses of patients' health related quality of life - 60% of women reported higher infertility distress associated with relationship issues caused by difficulties to conceive. The descriptive analysis over the quality of life in patients with endometriosis suggests that the high level of stress related factors, are: the loss over the control of the symptoms, dyspareunia and altered emotional status. Regarding the sexual aspect of life, almost a quarter of the women complained about an altered sexual status, due to both fear of failing in conceiving and dyspareunia caused by the endometriosis. The descriptive analysis over the infertility related stress suggests that the factors associated with a high level of stress are: sadness, pessimism, feeling of failure, irritability, lack of confidence, self-hatred and fatigue. Conclusions. Patients with endometriosis are dealing daily with a large spectrum of symptoms, including pain, dyspareunia, emotional instability and high levels of stress, which have a negative impact upon the quality of life, by lowering it on different levels. Also, within the present study we showed a significant presence of high infertility stress in patients of all ages that lead to depression and social anxiety.