Do depression, anxiety, or stress have any effect on pain scores in patients undergoing colposcopy?

Abstract

Objective: In this study, we evaluated the effect of depression, anxiety, and stress on pain perception during colposcopy.
 Material and methods: This study was performed at the gynecologic oncology department of Lutfi Kirdar Kartal Education and Research Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey between September 2017 and January 2018. After taking informed consent, Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-42) were completed by women who were attended outpatient colposcopy unit. Patients were classified into three groups according to DASS-42 (Group 1: patients without depression, anxiety or stress; Group 2: patients with one or two of depression, anxiety and stress; Group 3: patients with all of depression, anxiety and stress). Patient characteristics were also recorded. The degree of pain perception was evaluated visual analogue scale (VAS) at the end of the procedure. The p values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.
 Results: A total of 116 women were enrolled into this study. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of age, gravidity, parity, number of gynecologic examination, waiting time, BMI, VAS, having a partner, came alone to clinic, level of education, employment, indication of procedure, number of biopsies, ECC presence (p>0.05). There was no difference between the subgroups in terms of VAS. There was negative correlation between groups and VAS (r=-0.195, p=0.036).
 Conclusion: According to our findings, depression, anxiety and stress have no impact on pain perception during colposcopy but there is a weak correlation between the absence of depression, anxiety, stress and the pain score.