Quality of life in women with endometriosis in Portugal: a cross-sectional study on the roles of social support and sexual satisfaction.

BACKGROUND

Endometriosis, a chronic and often painful gynecological condition characterized by the presence of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterine cavity, significantly impacts multiple facets of women's lives, including their sexual health, psychological well-being, and overall quality of life. The heterogeneous presentation of symptoms, ranging from dysmenorrhea and dyspareunia to infertility, exerts not only a physical toll but also an emotional and social burden. This cross-sectional study explored how social support contributed to the quality of life in Portuguese-speaking women residing in Portugal with endometriosis and how sexual satisfaction could contribute to explaining these associations.

PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE: A total of 106 women with a self-reported diagnosis of endometriosis, with a mean age of 33.54 years (SD = 7.43), participated in the study. Data were collected online between January and May 2024 using self-report measures of quality of life, sexual satisfaction, and perceived social support.

RESULTS

The results revealed that higher social support is significantly associated with greater sexual satisfaction (B = .17, SE = .06, t = 2.84, p < .001, 95% CI [.05, .29]) and improved overall quality of life (B = .19, SE = .03, t = 5.44, p < .001, 95% CI [.12, .26]). Sexual satisfaction significantly mediated the relationship between social support and quality of life (indirect effect = .05, SE = .02, 95% CI [.01, .09].

CONCLUSIONS

These findings underscore the importance of social connections and sexual health in managing endometriosis among Portuguese-speaking women residing in Portugal, offering valuable insights for clinical practice and future research on holistic care for women with chronic conditions.