Psychological morbidity of hirsute women

Abstract

SummaryPsychological assessment with the 60 question General Health Questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory in 47 hirsute women before anti-androgen treatment showed an incidence of psychological morbidity of 51 per cent (scores > 12). This is a very high figure for a population of young women (mean age 25.8 years) attending a non-psychiatric clinic. The incidence was 10 per cent in the 30 control women studied. The hirsute women were significantly more anxious (P< 0.001), more depressed (P=0.05), more tired (P<0.05), felt more unwell (P<0.01) and functioned less well socially (P<001) than the normal women studied (Mann Whitney U test).This higher than expected incidence of psychological morbidity did not correlate with severity of hirsutism (assessed objectively with linear hair growth rate and Ferriman Gallwey score) or with androgen levels. In view of this finding all women seeking help for hirsutism should be counselled and reassured about their problem even if the hirsutism appears minimal to...