Social support: an important factor for quality of life in women with hirsutism.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Women with hirsutism have reported imparied health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Social support is a factor that might increase HRQoL in chronic diseases, but little is known about this association among women with hirsutism.

AIM:

The aim of the study was to describe social support and explore its association with HRQoL among women with hirsutism. A further aim was to compare HRQoL in women with hirsutism with a Swedish normal population.

METHODS:

A questionnaire including socio-demographic questions, Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and a self-estimation of hairiness using the Ferriman-Gallway scale (F-G scale) was answered by 127 women with hirsutism.

RESULTS:

Multiple regression analyses showed significant associations between social support and all health dimensions in the SF-36, also after the model was adjusted for age, hairiness and body mass index. Compared to the normal Swedish population, women with hirsutism reported significantly lower HRQoL in all dimensions of the SF-36 (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS:

There is a significant positive association between social support and HRQoL, demonstrating its importance for the ability to adapt to problems associated with hirsutism. As women with hirsutism reported poorer HRQoL compared to the normal population, social support may be a factor to consider in clinical practice.

• Authors: Maria Palmetun Ekbäck, Magnus Lindberg, Eva Benzein, Kristofer Årestedt
• Journal: Health and quality of life outcomes (Health Qual Life Outcomes) Vol. 12 Pg. 183 (Dec 20 2014) ISSN: 1477-7525 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 25526751 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Body Mass Index
• Case-Control Studies
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Female
• Hirsutism (psychology)
• Humans
• Middle Aged
• Quality of Life (psychology)
• Social Support
• Surveys and Questionnaires
• Young Adult