Gynaecological symptoms and psychological distress in potential hysterectomy patients

The association between psychological and gynaecological problems has long been recognised and has recently received empirical support. The association of gynaecological symptoms with anxiety and depression was investigated. One hundred and two women referred to a gynaecology clinic, for non-malignant problems likely to result in hysterectomy, were assessed. A scale of gynaecological symptoms was constructed using principal component analysis. The Kellner-Sheffield Self-Rating Scale of Distress and the Zung Self-Rating Scale of Depression were also used. The depression measure correlated with complaints of heavy bleeding, flooding and clotting. The anxiety measure correlated with the complaint of long-standing painful menstruation. Anxiety and depression levels were significantly greater in this group than in an age-related population sample of women taken from the same city. It is argued that the use of such a scale of gynaecological symptoms might aid prediction of psychological difficulty in those presenting with certain gynaecological complaints.