Health-related quality of life and economic burden of abnormal uterine bleeding

Abnormal uterine bleeding is a highly prevalent condition that can cause significant morbidity. This article summarizes the literature on the burden of illness, including an assessment of prevalence, its effect on the quality of life of sufferers and its economic impact. The results indicate that women with abnormal uterine bleeding have a considerably lower quality of life than the normal population, with a wide range of symptoms extending beyond domains inherent in quality-of-life tools. Limited information on economic burden suggests that economic costs are high. Additional research is required to provide better estimates of burden that, along with clinical and cost–effectiveness research, would help policy-makers ensure that scarce healthcare resources are used to maximize available health gains.