Journal article
Infertility and Health-Related Quality of Life in United States Women Veterans
Journal of women's health (Larchmont, N.Y. 2002), Vol.29(3), pp.412-419
03/2020
DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2019.7798
PMID: 31755818
Abstract
To assess associations between infertility and health-related quality of life and medical comorbidities in U.S. women Veterans.
This cross-sectional observational study involved computer-assisted telephone interviews of Veterans Administration-enrolled women between ages 21 and 52 years. Patients were analyzed in two groups by self-reported history of infertility. Outcomes included health-related quality of life as measured by the short-form 12-item interview (SF-12) physical and mental component summary (PCS and MCS) scores, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eating disorders, fibromyalgia, other chronic pain, cardiovascular disease risk factors, and cancer. Age-adjusted
-values and adjusted odds ratios (AORs) were calculated using individual multivariate regression models to control for significant confounding covariates.
Of the 996 women veterans included, 179 (18.0%) reported a history of infertility. Infertility was associated with worse perceived physical health as determined by the SF-12 PCS [beta coefficient (B) -3.23 (-5.18 to -1.28)] and fibromyalgia [AOR 1.97 (1.22 to 3.19)]. Infertility was also associated with higher rates of depression, other chronic pain, and cancer, which remained significant after adjusting for age (
= 0.021,
= 0.016, and
= 0.045, respectively); however, no association for all was seen after adjustment for other significant covariates. There was no difference in Veterans' mental health using the SF-12 MCS, nor differences seen in PTSD or eating disorder rates, or in cardiovascular risk factors.
This novel investigation in U.S. women Veterans found worse physical health-related quality of life and increased rates of fibromyalgia among women reporting a history of infertility, adding to the growing literature on infertility as a marker for overall poorer health.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Infertility and Health-Related Quality of Life in United States Women Veterans
- Creators
- Abigail C Mancuso - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IowaKaren M Summers - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IowaMichelle A Mengeling - VA Office of Rural Health (ORH), Veterans Rural Health Resource Center-Iowa City Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Iowa City, IowaJames C Torner - Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa College of Public Health, Iowa City, IowaGinny L Ryan - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IowaAnne G Sadler - Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of women's health (Larchmont, N.Y. 2002), Vol.29(3), pp.412-419
- DOI
- 10.1089/jwh.2019.7798
- PMID
- 31755818
- NLM abbreviation
- J Womens Health (Larchmt)
- ISSN
- 1540-9996
- eISSN
- 1931-843X
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 03/2020
- Academic Unit
- Psychiatry; Epidemiology; Surgery; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Injury Prevention Research Center; General Internal Medicine; Neurosurgery; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984214788602771
Metrics
16 Record Views