Impact of coping strategies on quality of life of adolescents and young women with endometriosis

Abstract

Purpose: Endometriosis is a hormone-dependent, inflammatory, painful condition affecting 1 in 10 women during their reproductive years. The symptoms of endometriosis—dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, infertility—negatively impact the quality of life (QoL) of the affected women. Few studies have been conducted on mental health and QoL impact in a younger endometriosis patient population (adolescents and young women). This study quantitative, cross-sectional study was designed to address this gap by ascertaining whether coping strategies may impact the QoL of this patient population.

Methods: After consent, participants (n = 24) completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), Coping Strategies Inventory (CSI), Endometriosis Health Patient-5 (EHP-5) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).

Results: Participants reported the use of both positive and maladaptive strategies to deal with the symptomatology, which were associated with QoL levels and mental health status. Associations between QoL and maladaptive coping strategies (e.g. autocriticism, social withdrawal) were uncovered. Cognitive restructuring was identified as an adaptive coping strategy that impacts QoL positively.

Conclusion: These results provide additional evidence showing that endometriosis symptoms substantially affect the psychological well-being of young patients and identify opportunities for interventions (e.g. cognitive behavioral, rational/emotive therapy) to implement coping styles leading to improved QoL.

Keywords:

• Endometriosis
• adolescents
• young adults
• quality of life
• pelvic pain
• coping
• depression
• anxiety

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank and acknowledge the young women and adolescents with endometriosis who participated in this research by completing the questionnaires.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

The current knowledge on this subject

• While there is evidence that endometriosis and its painful symptoms has a detrimental impact on women affected with this disease, few studies have been conducted on a younger patient population.

What this study adds

• This study provides additional evidence that endometriosis symptoms substantially impact the quality of life and psychological health of young patients, and identified opportunities for interventions to implement coping styles leading to improved QoL.

Additional information

Funding

We acknowledge the funding provided in part by grant # [1R01-HD050559] to IF from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, USA.