Quality of life and sexual satisfaction in women with endometriosis: the moderator role of symptom severity

ABSTRACT

Endometriosis is a chronic female disease affecting the quality of life (QoL) and sexual satisfaction (SS) of approximately 176 million women of reproductive age worldwide. This study analysed the variables that contributed to QoL and SS, and whether symptom severity moderated the relationship between symptom intensity and QoL/ SS. This cross-sectional study included 124 women diagnosed with clinical endometriosis. Participants answered the Endometriosis Health Profile-30, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Couple Satisfaction Index, and the Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction. Results showed that absence from work and psychological morbidity contributed to worse QoL; frequency of sexual activity and marital satisfaction contributed to higher SS; and the perception of symptom severity moderated the relationship between the intensity of chronic pelvic pain and QoL. Multidisciplinary interventions focused on the reduction of psychological symptomatology, sexual and relational difficulties, as well as illness representations, particularly regarding symptom severity, are warranted.

KEYWORDS:

• Endometriosis
• quality of life
• sexual satisfaction
• symptom severity
• symptom intensity

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

J. Martins

J. Martins has a Master’s Degree in Psychology and is a researcher member of the Health & Family Research Group, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.

G. Ferreira

G. Ferreira is a PhD student in Applied Psychology and a research member of the Health & Family Research Group, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.

M. Vilaça

M. Vilaça is a Junior Researcher at the Psychology Research Center (CIPsi), and a research member of the Health & Family Research Group, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.

H. Ferreira

H. Ferreira is a gynecologist at the Department of Gynecology, Centro Materno-Infantil do Norte, Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto, Porto, Portugal. 

F. Osório

F. Osório is a gynecologist at the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hospital da Luz, and at the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproduction Medicine, Hospital Santa Maria, Lisboa, Portugal.

C. Nogueira-Silva

C. Nogueira-Silva is an Invited Assistant Professor and member of the Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.

M.G. Pereira

M.G. Pereira is an Associate Professor with Aggregation at the School of Psychology, and the coordinator of the Health, Wellbeing and Performance Research Lab in the Psychology Research Center (CIPsi), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.