Quantification of the impact of endometriosis symptoms on health-related quality of life and work productivity

Objective: To quantify the impact of endometriosis-related symptoms on physical and mental health status, health-related quality of life, and work-related aspects (absenteeism, presenteeism, work productivity, and activity impairment). Design: Cross-sectional quantitative study. Setting: Academic and research institution. Patient(s): Women (n = 193) with self-reported surgically diagnosed endometriosis from the Endometriosis Patient Registry at Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences (PSMHS). Intervention(s): Anonymous questionnaire divided into three sections consisting of questions from the Patient Health Survey (SF-12), the Endometriosis Health Profile (EHP-5), and the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Survey (WPAI). Main Outcome Measure(s): Quantification of impact of endometriosis symptoms on physical and mental health status, health-related quality of life, absenteeism, presenteeism, work productivity, and activity impairment. Result(s): Patients had SF-12 scores denoting statistically significant disability in the physical and mental health components. They also reported an average of 7.41 hours (approximately one working day) of work time lost during the week when the symptoms are worse. In addition, the WPAI scores showed a high impact on work-related domains: 13% of average loss in work time (absenteeism), 65% of work impaired (presenteeism), 64% of loss in efficiency levels (work productivity loss), and 60% of daily activities perturbed (activity impairment). Conclusion(s): Endometriosis symptoms such as chronic, incapacitating pelvic pain and infertility negatively and substantially impact the physical and mental health status, health-related quality of life, and productivity at work of women. (Fertil Steril (R) 2011;96:107-12. (C)2011 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.)