Interaction and main effects of physical and depressive symptoms on quality of life in Korean women seeking care for rectal prolapse: a cross-sectional observational study

Abstract

Purpose: Rectal prolapse is still a relatively understudied medical condition, especially in women, whereas physical symptoms, depressive symptoms, and quality of life (QOL) in women with pelvic organ prolapse have been steadily studied. This study aimed to examine the interaction and main effects of physical and depressive symptoms on physical and mental QOL of women seeking care for rectal prolapse in Korea. Methods: Ninety-two women with rectal prolapse were recruited from a colorectal surgery clinic of a tertiary teaching hospital in Gwangju, Korea. Physical symptoms related to rectal prolapse (pelvic organ prolapse distress, POPD; colorectal-anal distress, CRAD; and urinary distress, UD), depression, and QOL were measured. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient, and two-way analysis of variance. Results: The interaction between POPD symptoms and depressive symptoms (F=4.51, p=.037) affected physical QOL. The interaction between POPD (F=9.66, p=0.003) and CRAD symptoms (F=7.48, p=.008), respectively, and depressive symptoms affected mental QOL. Depressive symptoms had a significant main effect on the physical QOL in the CRAD (F=6.22, p=.014) and UD (F=6.01, p=.016) groups and on mental QOL in the UD group (F=24.54, p<.000).Conclusion: Physical and depressive symptoms should be considered together to improve the QOL in women with rectal prolapse. Nursing interventions to decrease rectal prolapse-related physical and depressive symptoms are required to improve QOL in women with symptomatic rectal prolapse.

Influence of Stress Urinary Incontinence and Pelvic Organ Prolapse on Depression, Anxiety, and Insomnia—A Comparative Observational Study

“…In Drages’ study, it was shown that the subjective severity of prolapse, determined in the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire—Vaginal Symptoms score, is connected with greater psychological distress [ 29 ]. Authors who focused on rectal prolapse also found a connection between subjective complaints in the CRADI 8 questionnaire and depressive symptoms [ 13 ]. The aforementioned outcomes stay in agreement with the current outcomes.…”

“…There is a lack of consensus regarding the extent to which prolapse-related symptoms have an impact on depression, anxiety, or sleep disorders. In a Korean study of patients with rectal prolapse, the relationship between depression and the patient’s quality of life was confirmed; however, the authors did not compare psychiatric symptoms with patients without PFDs [ 13 ]. The relationship between POP and mental symptoms seemed to be indirectly confirmed by the observations of Ai and colleagues, who showed a reduction in the intensity of these complaints in patients who received pessary therapy due to pelvic organ prolapse [ 14 ].…”

The Influence of Successful Treatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence and Pelvic Organ Prolapse on Depression, Anxiety, and Insomnia—A Prospective Intervention Impact Assessment Study

“…PFDs negatively affect many aspects of the patient’s quality of life [ 10 , 11 , 12 ]. At the same time, it has been shown that surgical treatment of POP and urinary incontinence using different surgical methods improves patients’ quality of life in many aspects, especially as lower urinary tract, prolapse, and colorectal symptoms were concerned.…”