Endometriosis and Body Image

Endometriosis seems to reduce patients perceived well-being and body familiarity.

Key Points

Highlights: 

• Endometriosis negatively impacts patients’ health-related quality of life and body familiarity.

Importance:

• The body familiarity of patients with endometriosis should be assessed and necessary treatment should be provided, when necessary. 

What's done here:

• Researchers conducted an international online cross-sectional survey to assess the effect of endometriosis on patients' health-related quality of life and body familiarity.
• A total of 318 women with endometriosis and 420 women without the disease were evaluated. 

Key results:

• Women with endometriosis report significantly lower health-related quality of life and body familiarity compared to those without the disease. 

Lay Summary

Endometriosis has a negative effect on health-related quality of life and body familiarity according to a new study published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research.

Based on this finding, the authors of the study recommend that body familiarity should be assessed and if necessary treated in women diagnosed with endometriosis as part of psychological treatment pathways. It is not well understood how women diagnosed with endometriosis see and relate to their bodies. However, the disease is associated with a number of physical and psychological symptoms. It is therefore very important to understand how patients feel about their body image.

In the present study, a team of researchers led by Dr. Mandy Matthewson from the University of Tasmania, College of Health & Medicine, School of Psychological Science, in Hobart, Australia analyzed the differences in health-related quality of life and body image in patients with endometriosis and women without the disease. The team also explored the influence of disease status on psychological well-being and body image on health-related quality of life.

The researchers conducted an international online cross-sectional survey of 318 women with endometriosis and 420 women without the disease. 

The results showed that women with endometriosis reported significantly lower health-related quality of life and poorer body image compared to women without the disease. 

Using statistical analyses, the researchers found that disease status and somatic concern, i.e. extreme focus on symptoms significantly correlated with general health-related quality of life in women with endometriosis. Similarly, disease status and the lack of body familiarity significantly correlated with physical and emotional health-related quality of life.

“Endometriosis has a negative impact on [health-related quality of life] and body familiarity, with those diagnosed with the condition reporting significantly lower levels of [health-related quality of life],” the authors concluded. 

Health-related quality of life is defined as the perceived quality of life of a person based on their well-being.

Research Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35926345/