Year: 2024
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Pelvic floor dysfunctions are quite common among women, and the risk of dysfunction may increase with age and hormonal changes associated with menopause. Pelvic floor dysfunctions have been found to be associated with, for example, decreased quality of life, increased depressive symptoms, and social isolation. The purpose of this master's thesis was to investigate the relationship between pelvic floor dysfunctions and mood in middle-aged women. The material for the thesis consisted of data from the Estrogen, Menopause, and Functionality (ERMA) study. The cross-sectional study included 1098 women aged 47 to 55 from Jyväskylä or surrounding areas. Both pelvic floor dysfunctions and mood were assessed using questionnaires. The mood measures selected for this thesis included the CES-D, which measures feelings of depression, and the I-PANAS-SF, which measures negative affect. The data were analyzed using the SPSS program. The data were initially examined by calculating frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. Subsequently, correlations were examined using Pearson's correlation coefficient, followed by an exploration of the relationships between variables using linear regression analysis. Separate models were constructed for each pelvic floor dysfunction and both mood measures. The results indicate that over half of the participants in the ERMA study have some form of pelvic floor dysfunction, with stress urinary incontinence being the most common among them. Stress urinary incontinence, urge incontinence, fecal incontinence, and difficulty with bowel movements or defecation were found to be statistically significantly associated with both feelings of depression and negative affect. However, no statistically significant relationship was found between the sensation of pelvic floor prolapse and mood. This thesis generated new information, especially regarding the association between pelvic floor dysfunctions and negative affect. The knowledge about the connection between pelvic floor dysfunctions and feelings of depression is also valuable, as this topic had not been previously studied in the Finnish population. It's important to be aware of the factors that affect mental well-being in order to identify individuals whose mood is at risk of deteriorating as well as promoting women’s well-being and health.
Author: Tikka, Aino
Institution: University of Jyväskylä
Language: English
Subfield: Urology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7010897945