Health-related quality of life in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: validation of the German PCOSQ-G

Abstract

PurposePatients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) report a decreased health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and higher levels of psychological distress. Validated questionnaires are necessary to assess the impact of PCOS on patients’ lives. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the German “Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Questionnaire” (PCOSQ-G).MethodsThe psychometric properties of the PCOSQ-G were investigated in PCOS patients with item-total correlation, internal consistency and test–retest reliability. Correlations with the Short-Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D) were calculated to evaluate the validity of the PCOSQ-G. Discriminatory validity was investigated through a receiver operating characteristic curve and independent sample t tests compared with healthy controls.ResultsGood psychometric properties were found for most items. Acceptable to high internal consistency was found for the total score (α = 0.94–0.95) and all subscales (α = 0.70–0.97). High test–retest reliability was found for the total score (0.86) and all subscales (0.81–0.90). The validity analyses showed that the PCOSQ-G total score was positively correlated with both SF-36 summary scales and was negatively correlated with both HADS subscales. Patients reported significantly lower values for the PCOSQ-G total score (p < 0.001) and all subscales, and the PCOSQ-G discriminated well between patients and healthy controls (AUC = 0.81, p < 0.001).ConclusionsPCOSQ-G is a reliable and valid tool to assess the HRQOL in patients with PCOS and can be used in future clinical research. Patients with PCOS exhibited an impaired HRQOL, which indicates the need for psychosomatic counseling.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s00404-017-4623-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Impact of polycystic ovary syndrome on quality of life of women in correlation to age, basal metabolic index, education and marriage

“…Part B: Pre-validated SF-36 questionnaire is a standard diagnostic tool for evaluating various aspects of the HRQOL over the previous 4 weeks [19]. Its validity, sensitivity, reliability, internal consistency and stability, as well as test-retest reliability have frequently been confirmed in various studies [20][21][22]. SF-36 contains 8 domains: general health, physical functioning, and role limitations due to physical health, role limitation due to the emotional problem, body pain, social functioning, energy/fatigue and emotional well-being.…”

Assessment of quality of life among women with polycystic ovary syndrome of different reproductive age

“…PCOS is associated with decreased quality of life [4]. A number of pathogenetic mechanisms and pathological factors as well as clinical manifestations influence it.…”

“…So, nowadays medical aspects of PCOS are associated with psychological parameters of women. That is why such persons are in need of psychosomatic consultation [1,4,16].…”

“…All the above mentioned indicates that PCOS greatly influence the psychological status of women and their quality of life [4,5]. Depressive or aggressive behavior is typical for such patients [6] and can be associated with hyperandrogenia [7] as well as with all above mentioned complaints.…”

Exploratory study of a screening measure for polycystic ovarian syndrome, quality of life assessment, and neuropsychological evaluation

“…Böttcher and colleagues (2017) characterized PCOS as a heterogeneous condition, usually observed in women of reproductive age, with such symptoms as infertility, hirsutism, obesity, amenorrhea (irregular menses), insulin resistance, and increased androgen levels [6]. These symptoms can significantly impact body image and overall quality of life (QoL), leading to higher levels of anxiety and depression because these features affect the outside appearance and social norms [7].…”