Psychosocial Well-Being and Quality of Life Among Women Newly Diagnosed With Genital Herpes

Abstract

To assess the psychosocial well-being and quality of life among women with a new genital herpes simplex virus diagnosis. Data were collected by a cross-sectional survey. Eighty-three women diagnosed with genital herpes simplex virus by culture, visual exam and/or a description of symptoms within the last 3 months were recruited from primary health care clinics by their provider. Participants completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Recurrent Genital Herpes Quality of Life scale. Thirty-four percent of the women qualified as "clinical cases" for depression, and 64% were designated as "anxiety cases" based on Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale scoring methods. A majority of participants reported feeling ashamed about having herpes and worried about having an outbreak or giving herpes to someone else. Despite substantial progress toward understanding genital herpes simplex virus epidemiology and transmission, a diagnosis of genital herpes continues to cause considerable psychosocial morbidity and to impact quality of life. There is a dearth of good evidence on how best to intervene to minimize the psychological impact of a diagnosis. Experts recommend addressing both the medical and psychological aspects of infection by providing antiviral therapy, written material, and resources.