BACKGROUND: Gynecological disorders can have adverse effects on a woman's quality of life. Most hysterectomies are thus performed to enhance women's quality of life rather than to save life. This study aims at evaluating the long-term impact of hysterectomy on this outcome variable. METHODS: The quality of life in 111 women undergoing hysterectomy for benign reasons was tested before, and six and twelve months after, the operation. A control-group of non-hysterectomized women from the normal population was tested once. Ferrans & Powers' Quality of Life Index, consisting of four life domains, was used. This index has a pre-set highest possible obtainable score. For the subjects with a high pre-test score, there was little scope for further measurable improvement after hysterectomy, which gives a false stability in the material. A method for calculating the relative differences was introduced. RESULTS: The health and functioning domain of the quality of life among women awaiting hysterectomy is significantly lower compared to that of the control-group (p<.01) Both six and twelve months after the hysterectomy, the patients have reached the same level of their health and functioning as the control-group. Using the relative difference-form, it is demonstrated that the subjects have obtained significantly higher levels in all the domains of quality of life after hysterectomy. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show that hysterectomy is associated with a positive long-term impact on a woman's quality of life.
BACKGROUND: Gynecological disorders can have adverse effects on a woman's quality of life. Most hysterectomies are thus performed to enhance women's quality of life rather than to save life. This study aims at evaluating the long-term impact of hysterectomy on this outcome variable. METHODS: The quality of life in 111 women undergoing hysterectomy for benign reasons was tested before, and six and twelve months after, the operation. A control-group of non-hysterectomized women from the normal population was tested once. Ferrans & Powers' Quality of Life Index, consisting of four life domains, was used. This index has a pre-set highest possible obtainable score. For the subjects with a high pre-test score, there was little scope for further measurable improvement after hysterectomy, which gives a false stability in the material. A method for calculating the relative differences was introduced. RESULTS: The health and functioning domain of the quality of life among women awaiting hysterectomy is significantly lower compared to that of the control-group (p<.01) Both six and twelve months after the hysterectomy, the patients have reached the same level of their health and functioning as the control-group. Using the relative difference-form, it is demonstrated that the subjects have obtained significantly higher levels in all the domains of quality of life after hysterectomy. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show that hysterectomy is associated with a positive long-term impact on a woman's quality of life.
Authors: Helga Gimbel; Vibeke Zobbe; Birthe Jakobsen Andersen; Helle Christina Sørensen; Kim Toftager-Larsen; Katrine Sidenius; Nini Møller; Ellen Merete Madsen; Mogens Vejtorp; Helle Clausen; Annie Rosgaard; John Villumsen; Christian Gluud; Bent S Ottesen; Ann Tabor Journal: Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct Date: 2005 Jul-Aug
Authors: K J Neis; W Zubke; T Römer; K Schwerdtfeger; T Schollmeyer; S Rimbach; B Holthaus; E Solomayer; B Bojahr; F Neis; C Reisenauer; B Gabriel; H Dieterich; I B Runnenbaum; W Kleine; A Strauss; M Menton; I Mylonas; M David; L-C Horn; D Schmidt; P Gaß; A T Teichmann; P Brandner; W Stummvoll; A Kuhn; M Müller; M Fehr; K Tamussino Journal: Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd Date: 2016-04 Impact factor: 2.915
Authors: Justine M Briët; Marian Je Mourits; Barbara L van Leeuwen; Edwin R van den Heuvel; Monique Ja Kenkhuis; Henriette Jg Arts; Geertruida H de Bock Journal: Clin Interv Aging Date: 2018-12-13 Impact factor: 4.458
Authors: Elizabeth M Harrison; Emily A Schmied; Alexandra P Easterling; Abigail M Yablonsky; Gena L Glickman Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-12-07 Impact factor: 3.390