Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on April 11, 2007
Human Reproduction 2007 22(7):1946-1952; doi:10.1093/humrep/dem080
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What variables predict generic and health-related quality of life in a sample of Brazilian women experiencing infertility?
1 Post-Graduate Program in Medicine, Assisted Reproduction Service, Embryology and Genetics Laboratory, Gynecology and Obstetrics Department, Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Rua Florêncio Ygartua, 391/308, Porto Alegre – RS, CEP 90430-010, Brazil 2 Post-Graduate Program in Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil 3 Social Medicine Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
4 Correspondence address. Rua Florêncio Ygartua, 391/308, Porto Alegre – RS, CEP 90430-010, Brazil. Tel/Fax: +55 51 32644152; E-mail: jurigol{at}terra.com.br
BACKGROUND: Infertility is a condition associated with impairment in several areas of life. Questionnaires about quality of life (QoL) allow the examination of the impact of health conditions in a broader way, comprehending outcomes beyond symptomatology, morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with various aspects of QoL.
METHODS: Cross-sectional study using the following: a socio-demographic and clinical data form, the Health Survey Short Form (SF-36) which examines health-related QoL and the WHOQOL-BREF which examines general QoL.
RESULTS: 177 women seeking fertility assistance were interviewed. The sample was predominantly composed of women between 30 and 40 years old (64%), who had known about their infertility for <5 years (57%) and who had had no previous attempts at assisted reproduction (79%). Logistic regression indicated the following predictor variables: age (for better general health and physical functioning), previous in vitro fertilization (for lower vitality and poor psychological health scores), previous reproductive tract surgery (for worse general health but higher environment scores), advanced education (for higher vitality, mental health and environment scores, but for worse social relationships) and perception of worse sexual life (for lower overall scores).
CONCLUSIONS: The identification of factors associated with better or worse QoL, in its different domains, is vital in order to propose and test scientifically based interventions on infertile women.
Key words: infertility/quality of life/SF-36/WHOQOL
Submitted on July 31, 2006; resubmitted on February 26, 2007; accepted on March 5, 2007.
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