Comparing psychological distress, health-related quality of life and pain in individuals diagnosed with endometriosis and suspected to have endometriosis: A cross-sectional analysis

PURPOSE: To assess whether pain, psychological distress, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) differ in individuals diagnosed with endometriosis and those suspected to have endometriosis. METHODS: Cross-sectional online survey of individuals with a confirmed (n = 550) or suspected (n = 103) diagnosis of endometriosis, recruited via the social media of Australian endometriosis organisations. Demographic and endometriosis-specific characteristics as well as measures of pain, psychological distress, and HRQoL were collected. Multivariate Analysis of Covariance was conducted to compare groups on key variables. RESULTS: The suspected endometriosis group reported significantly greater pelvic pain and symptoms of anxiety than the diagnosed group. CONCLUSIONS: When accounting for covariates, individuals suspected to have endometriosis reported significantly higher pain and anxiety symptoms than those diagnosed. This suggests that diagnosis may be associated with lower levels of pain and anxiety, possibly due to improved accessibility to treatment and removal of uncertainty.