Men experiencing infertility encounter numerous problems at the individual, family, and social levels as well as quality of life (QOL). This study was designed to investigate the QOL of men experiencing infertility through a systematic review.
This systematic review was conducted without any time limitation (Retrieval date: July 1, 2023) in international databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar. The search was performed by two reviewers separately using keywords such as QOL, infertility, and men. Studies were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of the articles were evaluated based on the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. In the initial search, 308 studies were reviewed, and after removing duplicates and checking the title and abstract, the full text of 87 studies were evaluated.
Finally, 24 studies were included in the final review based on the research objectives. Based on the results, men's QOL scores in different studies varied from 55.15 ± 13.52 to 91.45 ± 13.66%. Of the total reviewed articles, the lowest and highest scores were related to mental health problems and physical dimensions, respectively.
The reported findings vary across various studies conducted in different countries. Analysis of the factors affecting these differences is necessary, and it is recommended to design a standard tool for assessing the quality of life of infertile men. Given the importance of the QOL in men experiencing infertility, it is crucial to consider it in the health system. Moreover, a plan should be designed, implemented and evaluated according to each country's contex to improve the quality of life of infertile men.
BMC public health. 2024 May 05*** epublish ***
Zahra Kiani, Masoumeh Simbar, Farzaneh Rashidi, Farid Zayeri, Homayoon Banaderakhsh
Midwifery and Reproductive Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran., Midwifery and Reproductive Health Research Center, Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. ., Department of Midwifery, School of Medicine, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran., Proteomics Research Center, Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran., Department of Anesthesia and Operating Room, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.