Abstract
BackgroundWorldwide, hypothyroidism affects 3.7% of the population, and is associated with impaired quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of cognitive- behavioral therapy (CBT) on the quality of life in women with hypothyroidism.Methods96 women with hypothyroidism randomly allocated into two groups: CBT group (n = 48) and control group (n = 48). Women in the CBT group were classified into four sub-groups of 12, and each sub-group received eight sessions of counseling (each session lasting 90 min). We collected data using a demographic questionnaire and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF 36) for measuring the quality of life. We used the independent t-test, chi-square test and ANCOVA to analyze the data.ResultsFive women from each group withdrew from the study, leaving 43 women in each group. The scores on physical functioning, physical health problems, social functioning and pain improved in the CBT group after the intervention, but the differences between the two groups were not significant. The scores on emotional health, emotional health problems, energy and emotions, and general health were significantly better in the CBT group than those in the control group (p < 0.05).ConclusionCounseling using CBT can improve some aspects of quality of life, including emotional health, emotional health problems, energy and general health in patients with hypothyroidism.Trial registration numberIranian Registry for Clinical Trials: 20190323043101 N1. https://www.irct.ir/
Highlights
Worldwide, hypothyroidism affects 3.7% of the population, and is associated with impaired quality of life
Hypothyroidism defined as the insufficient amount of thyroid hormones, that may result from disorders of the thyroid gland, pituitary gland or hypothalamus [1]
Women with the following criteria were recruited in this study: age 18–45 years, who had basic literacy, hypothyroidism diagnosed with laboratory tests and confirmed by an endocrinologist, women who acquired score less than 60 of the total score of quality of life questionnaire (SF36) and on medication for hypothyroidism
Summary
Hypothyroidism affects 3.7% of the population, and is associated with impaired quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of cognitive- behavioral therapy (CBT) on the quality of life in women with hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism defined as the insufficient amount of thyroid hormones, that may result from disorders of the thyroid gland, pituitary gland or hypothalamus [1]. It is estimated it affects 3.7% of the population worldwide [2]. Shivaprasad et al, in their study of 244 women with hypothyroidism who were treated with thyroid hormone, found that despite the treatment, women had lower scores in six out of eight domains of quality of life [7]. Rakhshan et al found that the spiritual health score of women with hypothyroidism was significantly lower than that in healthy women [8]
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