Quality of life of women awaiting vesicovaginal fistula repair in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Vesicovaginal fistula has devastating effects on the health of afflicted women leading to alteration in their quality of life.
Aim: This study set out to assess the quality of life of women with vesicovaginal fistula who presented for repair.
Methods: The World Health Organization quality of life- BREF questionnaire was used to evaluate the women's quality of life. Results: Only 20% of the women adjudged their general state of health and quality of life to be satisfactory. A vast majority (73.4%) of the women were assessed to have good quality of life in the physical health domain. Most (78%) of the women were evaluated to have poor quality of life in the mental health domain. The majority (63%) of the women were evaluated to have poor quality of life in the social health domain. Fifty percent of the women were assessed to have good quality of life in the area of the environment. Conclusion: Vesicovaginal fistula was associated with significant impairment of the mental and social health of afflicted women.