Abstract
Aim
To assess the program by outcome evaluation and process evaluation of providing developed the partnership support program to increased partnership, decreased psychological distress, and maintain Quality of Life (QOL) for couples in the process of fertility treatment including the possibility of using assisted reproductive technology.
Methods
A quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was used to evaluate before and after scores in psychological distress and QOL. The partnership support program was implemented with 36 consenting patients (18 couples) in various phases of fertility treatment from one fertility clinic in Kanto region of Japan. The main outcome measures were partnership, QOL, relationship satisfaction with partners and psychological distress. Participants completed self-administered valid and reliable questionnaires, developed by the authors. A content analysis thematic approach was applied to the qualitative evaluation comments.
Results
Valid responses were obtained from 25 program participants (12 men, 13women). In comparison of before and after of program intervention, female group participants increased their QOL score and Partnership score. Their psychological Distress scores were significantly reduced by program participation (p=0.021). In the male group, there was no significant change in scale scores.
Those male and female participants who scored lower on the Partnership scale and QOL were analyzed as subgroups. The males' group Partnership and QOL scale score averages improved from pre to post test, but not significantly. However, the females' Partnership scale score averages significantly increased after intervention (p=0.028) but their QOL scores, while improved, did not reach significance.
The content analysis of the evaluation yielded four categories: (1) deepening of understanding, (2) relief, (3) useful for communicating and (4) information gain. In the evaluation process, 72% of the participants were aware of their information gain; 90% felt the deepening of communication with their partners. The majority (90%) of participants indicated high satisfaction with the program and 77% evaluated amount of content and length of time was appropriate.
Conclusion
The partnership support program had great utilization and satisfaction for couples. This program was useful in order to maintain QOL, improve the partnership, and reduce psychological distress for women, however it had less impact for the men. Implementation of a program for the prevention of increasing psychological distress in patients undergoing fertility treatment, in clinics is highly recommended. Even so there are many aspects to understanding what could provide more individual support to men, to women, and to both as a couple. Researchers and clinicians are encouraged to explore these possibilities.
