The Study of Loneliness in Infertile Women

Bae, Kyoung Jin; Ro, Seung Ok; Kim, Jung A

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate loneliness in infertile women and determine how loneliness related to personal characteristics, cause of infertility, family composition, and family conflicts. It also provides basic data for nursing strategies concerning infertile women. A total of 182 subjects were selected at an infertile clinic in Seoul, Korea. Data were collected from May 2 to June 21, 1997 by questionaire. It consisted of questions concerning general characteristics, items relating to infertility, and the Loneliness Scale. The UCLA Loneliness scale was used(more specifically, the Korean version of the Revised UCLA Scale by Kim Ok Soo.). The data were analyzed by using SPSS/PC computer program. The result are as follows: 1. The mean age of infertile women was 32.4 years old, and the mean age of souses was 34.8 yerars old. 30.2% of women had a marital duration of 3-5 years, and 25.8% had a marital duration of 5-10 years. 23.1% reported the main etiology of infertility as unexplained, 18.1% reported ovulation disturbances, and 26.4% reported complex causes. 3.8% of the couples had sexual relationship difficulty 83% lived in nuclear families, while 17% lived in large families. 2. The mean loneliness scores of infertile women was 35.53(SD=8.66). The total loneliness score of this study was 80. 3. There were significant differences in loneliness scores according to ages(F=6.893, p=.001), education background(t=4.418, p=.000), and the educational background of husband(t=2.339, p=.020). 4. Loneliness scores related to family situations were significantly different according to several male nephews in husbands' family(F=2.822, p=.027). 5. Loneliness scores related to conflicts were significantly different according to husbands and their family(F=11.465, p=.000). Nurses should acknowlege the fact that some infertile women may experience loneliness. In conclusion, nurses can provide infertile women with information about ways to decrease loneliness and create support groups for themselves, assisting infertile women to adjust to the experience of infertility through positive methods.