OBJECTIVE: To describe women's perceived sense of well-being before and after hysterectomy by examining a broad array of outcomes experienced by women undergoing hysterectomies for benign conditions. DESIGN: Prospective, descriptive. SETTING: A regional tertiary care facility in central Texas. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred seventy-eight women presenting for hysterectomies for nononcologic reasons who completed all three periods of data collection. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Subjects completed a questionnaire assessing information pertinent to their current gynecologic health and the SF-36 Health Survey before surgery and of 4 and 11 months after surgery. The women also completed the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale preoperatively and at 4 months postoperatively. Additional demographic and medical information was extracted from the medical record. RESULTS: In the initial period after surgery, the patients experienced an improved health status. In addition, the women reported on improvement in their psychologic well-being, including less depression and improved sexual functioning. Relationships with others also improved after the surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes for these women undergoing hysterectomy for nononcologic reasons were generally positive. This information is vital for preoperative counseling by nurses of women contemplating or about to undergo this surgery.
OBJECTIVE: To describe women's perceived sense of well-being before and after hysterectomy by examining a broad array of outcomes experienced by women undergoing hysterectomies for benign conditions. DESIGN: Prospective, descriptive. SETTING: A regional tertiary care facility in central Texas. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred seventy-eight women presenting for hysterectomies for nononcologic reasons who completed all three periods of data collection. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Subjects completed a questionnaire assessing information pertinent to their current gynecologic health and the SF-36 Health Survey before surgery and of 4 and 11 months after surgery. The women also completed the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale preoperatively and at 4 months postoperatively. Additional demographic and medical information was extracted from the medical record. RESULTS: In the initial period after surgery, the patients experienced an improved health status. In addition, the women reported on improvement in their psychologic well-being, including less depression and improved sexual functioning. Relationships with others also improved after the surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes for these women undergoing hysterectomy for nononcologic reasons were generally positive. This information is vital for preoperative counseling by nurses of women contemplating or about to undergo this surgery.