Quality of life in the vulvar clinic: a pilot study

This pilot study aimed to investigate baseline quality of life, anxiety, and depression scores in women attending a multidisciplinary vulvar clinic and to assess whether attendance was associated with improvement in quality of life and psychological symptoms.

Two well-validated questionnaires, namely, the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score (HADS), were completed by women attending a vulvar clinic at their first and a subsequent review visit. Twenty-three women aged between 19 and 77 years completed the study, and their scores were calculated and compared.

At the initial visit, 15 (65%) of 23 women scored 6 or higher on the DLQI, indicating that their vulvar disease affected their quality of life to a moderate, very large, or extremely large degree. On review, 12 (52%) of 23 women scored 6 or higher, showing a significant improvement in DLQI between visits (p <.005). The HADS-A (anxiety) score at the initial visit was 8 or higher in 12 (52%) of 23 women, suggesting clinically significant psychological distress. The anxiety score did not statistically change at the review visit. HADS-D (depression) score was initially 8 or higher in 6 (26%) of 23 women but, similar to the anxiety scores, was not statistically different at review.

Most women attending the vulvar clinic have a reduced quality of life. Attending a dedicated multidisciplinary clinic is associated with an improvement in quality of life, but anxiety and depression scores are unchanged. This study is limited by small numbers, and further larger studies are required.