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Quality of life among women with a diagnosis of pelvic organ prolapse at Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Bahir Dar, Northwest Ethiopia: an institutional based cross-sectional study

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Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis

Pelvic organ prolapse is among the most common gynecologic problems worldwide. It greatly influences women’s quality of life. However, research regarding the effect of pelvic organ prolapse on quality of life is limited in our study area.

Methods

An institutional-based study design among women with the diagnosis of pelvic organ prolapse at Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital was employed from May to July 2018. Interviewer-administered questionnaire and Prolapse Quality of Life assessment tool were used to collect data. Gynecologic speculum examination was done to collect objective data. Data were entered into Epi info version 7 and then exported in to SPSS, version 20.0, for analysis. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used. All the statistical tests were significant at P < 0.05.

Results

The average prolapse quality of life score was 48.35 ± 22.75 SD. The physical limitation (score: 69.83 ± 28.77 SD) and general health perception (score: 67.39 ± 20.26 SD) domains were the most affected life domains. Younger age (AOR = 3.02 [95% CI: 1.22–7.45]), being illiterate (AOR = 3.52 [95% CI: 1.12–11.10]), and having stage IV POP (AOR = 2.84 [95% CI: 1.16–7.00]) were associated with lower quality of life.

Conclusions

The QOL score showed huge variability among the study participants. The physical limitation and general health perception domains were most affected. Being illiterate, being < 35 years old, and having stage IV pelvic organ prolapse were the factors associated with lower quality of life.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Bahirdar University for the approval of ethical clearance. We also thank Amhara Regional Health Bureau, Felege Hiwot Comherensive Specilized Hospital, for permitting us to conduct the study and providing the necessary preliminary information. The authors are very grateful to the data collectors and women who participated in this study.

Funding

This study was supported by funds from Bahir Dar University for the design and collection, analysis and interpretation of data. However, the funder has no specific role in the preparation of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

    Walelign Kindie, Aemiro Yiheyis & Daniel Miskir

  2. Department of Reproductive Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

    Amanu Aragaw

  3. Department of Midwifery, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

    Kihinetu Gelaye Wudineh

Authors
  1. Walelign Kindie
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  2. Aemiro Yiheyis
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  3. Amanu Aragaw
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  4. Kihinetu Gelaye Wudineh
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  5. Daniel Miskir
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Contributions

Walelign Kindie: Conceived and designed the protocol

Aemiro Yiheyis: Contributed data analysis

Amanu Aragaw: Wrote the paper

Kihinetu Gelaye Wudineh: Revised the manuscript

Daniel Miskir: Participated in data entry

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kihinetu Gelaye Wudineh.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Ethical clearance was obtained from the institutional review board of Bahir Dar University.

A formal letter of cooperation was written to Regional Health Bureau, Felege Hiwot Comherensive Specilized Hospital, and permission was obtained. Verbal consent was obtained from each study participant. Confidentiality of information and privacy were maintained.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Kindie, W., Yiheyis, A., Aragaw, A. et al. Quality of life among women with a diagnosis of pelvic organ prolapse at Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Bahir Dar, Northwest Ethiopia: an institutional based cross-sectional study. Int Urogynecol J 34, 225–230 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-022-05209-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-022-05209-2

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