Psychosocial impact of chronic vulvovagina conditions.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the degree of psychosocial impairment resulting from chronic vulvovaginal disorders (VVDs).


METHODS
Seventy-five consecutive women suffering from a chronic VVD were recruited and classified using current International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease (ISSVD) classification criteria. They completed a 69-item, self-administered, comprehensive questionnaire to assess the impact of chronic VVD on psychosocial functioning and quality of life. Summary scores were calculated for 5 domains including pain, body image, relationships, emotion, quality of life and sexual function.


RESULTS
After adjusting for age and duration of vulvovaginal symptoms, women with vulvodynia were more likely than women with other chronic VVDs to score significantly worse on relationship (p < 0.001), emotion (p < 0.03) and physical activity (p = 0.001) areas. The majority of subjects suffered from a worsening impact of sexual function, and no differences were detected between the groups. The overall intensity of vulvar or vaginal pain correlated weakly with the degree of psychosocial impairment in the domains of relationships, emotion and physical quality of life.


CONCLUSIONS
Differences in quality of life exist between women with vulvodynia and those with other chronic VVDs. The presence, not the intensity, of vulvovaginal pain correlates with degree of psychosocial impairment.
Jelovsek
J Eric
JE
Division of Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue/ A81, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. jelovsj@ccf.org
Walters
Mark D
MD
Barber
Matthew D
MD
D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014623:Vaginal Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D014845:Vulvar Diseases / Q000523:psychology*