1. Assessing relative importance of FertiQoL dimensions on General Quality of Life,
Disfunctional attitudes, Unconditional Self-Acceptance and Emotional Distress
Cristiana Haica, Medlife Hyperclinic - Unirii, Bucharest, Romania
Objectives Materials and Methods Results Results
Structure of the sample: • As regards General Quality of Life, the proportion of
•The objective of this study is to investigate the impact that • Profile of Emotional Distress (PED) - an instrument variance explained by Fertiqol dimensions/domains is
Couple %(n=101)
elaborated to assess the subjective dimension of functional and Infertility almost the same for men (41,9%) and women (41,4%) , the
infertility related dimensions of QoL measured with FertyQoL
Type men women rest of app 60% is influenced by other parameters (e.g.
(emotional, mind-body, relational and social) have over the dysfunctional negative feelings (affect), general health, economic level etc)
(n=101) (n=101)
Man Infertility 14.9%
• FertyQoL - the first internationally validated instrument to Mean age 36,6 34,4 • Men’s General Quality of Life is influenced in
general quality of life of individuals of the couple, over their level
Woman 38.6%
Mean 16,4 16,2 proportion of 59,9 % by women infertility perceptions –
of dysfunctional attitudes, over their self-acceptance and measure quality of life in individuals experiencing fertility Infertility the impact of infertility on her emotional life/status
years of
problems . (FertiQoL was developed by Jacky Boivin, Janet Both partners 18.8% education being the most important aspect.
emotional distress.
Infertility • Women’s General Quality of Life is influenced by their
•The perspective is a dyadic one, in which a score of a partner is Takefman and Andrea Braverman with sponsorship from the emotional and mind-body dimension/perceptions
Idiopathic 27.7%
European Society of Human Reproduction & Embryology Infertility regarding infertility, while men total influence upon women
not independent from the score of the other partner of the couple
Mean values for the Fertiqol dimensions, General Quality of Life, DAS, QoL is around 37,1 % - emotional and social dimension
and the outcome for a partner is the result of his own scores (ESHRE), American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) USAQ, PED: of infertility impact being important.
and Merck-Serono S.A. ESHRE and ASRM jointly hold the Mean value men (n=101) women (n=101) • Fertility problems explain 15,6 % of level of dysfunctional
along with the scores of the other partner.
Emotional Dimension 60,7 49,7 attitudes (DAS) levels for men and 27,8 % for women -
•The aim is to assess the influence that men and women scores rights to FertiQoL) infertility perceptions having a higher influence on
Mind Dimension 74,7 61
- FertiQol consists of 34 items (two additional items measure women.
on FertyQoL domains have over men/women general quality of Relational Dimension 66,5 62,5
• Men’s intensity of dysfunctional attitudes (DAS) is
life, DAS, USAQ and PED scores/outcomes. overall satisfaction with physical health and quality of life). Social Dimension 66,3 58,3 mainly influenced by their relational aspects of infertility
Personal quality of life: 12 items assess impact of fertility Mean value men (n=101) women (n=101)
and by the way women report themselves toward the
social aspects of infertility .
problems in the emotional (6 items) and mind-body (6 items) General Quality of Life 51,7 47,5
• Women’s intensity of dysfunctional attitudes (DAS) is
Materials and Methods domains. The Emotional subscale assesses the extent to which
DAS 124,1 131,6
mainly influenced by perceptions on social and emotional
USA 84,9 84,4 aspects of infertility, and by the social impact of infertility
the individual experiences the syndrome of negative emotions PED 26,9 34,1 on their husbands.
commonly associated with the experience of fertility problems The results of relative importance of the FertyQol dimensions over General • Fertility problems explain a low amount of the variance in
• 101 couples (101 men and 101 women) upon first Quality of Life, DAS, USAQ and PED for both men and women are as follows: unconditional self-acceptance (USAQ),
(e.g., jealousy & resentment, sadness, depression). The Mind- • Considering unconditional self-acceptance, in infertility
presentation to the infertility clinic, after they proceed with FertyQol ->Gen. Qual. FertyQol ->
Body subscale assesses to what extent the individual Of Life
FertyQol ->DAS
USAQ
FertyQol ->PED - emotional dimension of infertility is more important for
necessary investigation for infertility and they were diagnosed men than for women, social dimension of infertility is more
experiences negative physical symptoms (e.g., fatigue, pain) important for women than men.
(two clinics participated in the study) men women men women men women men women
and cognitive or behavioral disruptions (e.g., poor concentration, • 25 % of men scores in PED and 30,9 % of women PED is
Proportion
• The couples were asked to participate to a face-to-face of 15.6 25.0
explained by infertility problems.
disrupted daily activities, delayed life plans) as a result of the variance
41.9% 41,4%
%
27.8% 13.8% 17.5%
%
30.9%
• Emotional distress (PED) score for men is influenced by
interview to collect the socio-demographic details and then to fill explained
infertility. their own relational and social infertility impact and by
in the FertyQoL, DAS, USAQ and PED. All respondents were social infertility impact on their wives.
Interpersonal quality of life: 12 items assess the impact of • women emotional distress (PED) is mainly influenced by
From From From From From From From From
informed about the objectives of the study and the confidentiality which: which: which: which: which: which: which: which:
fertility problems in the relational (6 items) and social (6 items) their own emotional and social impact of fertility
of the data. Subjects signed consent forms. The instruments problems.
domains. The Relational subscale assesses the extent to which Emotional 16,2 14,8 2,8 2,8 11,7 4,6 12,9 2,6
were completed individually and independently (to avoid
components (e.g., sexuality, communication, commitment) of the Mind 6,2 4,7 10,7 3,9 6,8 3,1 6,0 3,7
Conclusions
interference in one another’s responses). men
marital relationship or partnership have been affected by fertility Relational 2,6 3,2 26,0 4,7 28,8 9,4 19,3 6,9
• The Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS), designed to
problems. The Social subscale measures the extent to which Social 15,1 14,5 4,3 13,8 10,1 11,0 20,3 5,9 • Counseling of the infertile couples should have in mind the
measure the intensity of dysfunctional attitudes, a hallmark
social interactions have been affected by fertility problems (e.g., influence that the partners have one over another.
Total men 40,1 37,1 43,8 25,3 57,4 28,0 58,5 19,2
feature of depression, Counselling in infertility for both partners as a couple is a
social inclusion, expectations, stigma, support). must.
• Unconditional Self-Acceptance Questionnaire (USAQ) a Emotional 28,3 35,9 12,1 14,6 4,1 11,5 7,8 27,6
•Relaimpo package from R statistics along with lmg metric • Counseling in infertility should consider that not all the
20-item instrument that reflects various aspects of an Mind 18,1 10,2 4,4 9,2 11,0 6,8 7,1 9,8 problems created by this condition have the same impact on
was used to assess the relative importance, that FertyQoL wom
en individual QoL, unconditional self-acceptance, emotional
unconditional self-acceptance philosophy developed in rational- Relational 1,7 2,7 12,7 4,2 17,6 5,3 9,1 6,3
dimension has over general quality of life, DAS, USAQ and PED distress and level of dysfunctional attitudes, and the therapy
emotive behavior therapy (Chamberlain & Haaga, 2001), Social 11,7 14,1 27,0 46,7 10,0 48,3 17,5 37,1
should be lead having in mind the relative importance that
for men and women in the multiple linear regression model. infertility problems (their impact on emotional, mind-body,
Total women 59,9 62,9 56,2 74,7 42,6 72,0 41,5 80,8 relational, social aspects of life) have over these
parameters. In order to start with those dimensions that
have the biggest effect on the outcome variable.
ESHRE, July 1-4 2012, Istanbul, Turkey