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Green R, Mardon AK, Beaumont T, Phillips K, Chalmers KJ. The accessibility of pelvic health physiotherapy for adolescents with persistent pelvic pain: a qualitative framework analysis. Physiother Theory Pract 2024; 40:973-982. [PMID: 36345863 DOI: 10.1080/09593985.2022.2143736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Physiotherapy, with a specific focus on pelvic health, is one service used in the multidisciplinary management of adolescent persistent pelvic pain (PPP). However, there has been little investigations into the accessibility of physiotherapy for adolescents with PPP. OBJECTIVE This qualitative study aimed to detail the experiences of adolescents with PPP accessing a tertiary hospital physiotherapy service. METHODS Two focus groups included six adolescent females diagnosed with PPP that had either a) been referred and attended the physiotherapy clinic (n = 5), or b) been referred to physiotherapy but yet to attend their appointment (n = 1 plus one support person). Focus group transcripts were deductively thematically analyzed according to four domains from the patient-centered healthcare accessibility framework. RESULTS The domain of 'Approachability and ability to perceive' was impacted by limited information and poor patient health literacy. 'Acceptability and ability to seek' was hindered by adolescent mental health struggles and failures of previous PPP management. 'Availability and accommodation, and ability to reach' was influenced by lengthy referral processes, and reliance on familial support for transport. 'Acceptability and ability to engage' was facilitated by engaging clinicians and group environments, however, adolescents became dependent on physiotherapy for pain management. CONCLUSION Physical, social, and environmental factors influence the accessibility of physiotherapy for adolescents with PPP. Healthcare services should consider the specific needs of adolescents with PPP for optimizing accessibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rose Green
- Women's Physiotherapy, Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Amelia K Mardon
- IIMPACT in Health, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Tara Beaumont
- Women's Physiotherapy, Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Kate Phillips
- Women's Physiotherapy, Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, Australia
| | - K Jane Chalmers
- IIMPACT in Health, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
- School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, Australia
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Kapurubandara SC, Lowes B, Sansom-Daly UM, Deans R, Abbott JA. A systematic review of diagnostic tests to detect pelvic floor myofascial pain. Int Urogynecol J 2022; 33:2379-2389. [PMID: 35796787 PMCID: PMC9427874 DOI: 10.1007/s00192-022-05258-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS Myofascial pain arising from pelvic floor muscles occurs in women with vaginismus, interstitial cystitis and endometriosis but is often overlooked. The aim is to examine alternative diagnostic tests to detect pelvic floor myofascial pain compared with standardized vaginal palpation of pelvic floor muscles as the reference test. METHODS A systematic review was prospectively conducted (PROSPERO-CRD42020183092) according to PRISMA guidelines. Databases searched included Ovid Medline 1946-, Embase 1957-, Scopus 1960-, Cochrane Combined, Clinical trials, Google Scholar (top 200 articles), Web of Science, TRIP, BIOSIS, DARE, CINHAL, EmCare, PEDro, ProQuest and EBSCOhost up to July 2020. Articles were independently screened by two authors and assessed for bias using QUASDAS-2 tool. RESULTS A total of 26,778 articles were screened and 177 were selected for full text review, of which 5 were selected for final analysis. Five studies included 9694 participants of which 1628 had pelvic floor myofascial pain. Only one study reported data to calculate sensitivities and specificities of the index test, which utilized a score of > 40 on the Central Sensitization Inventory to detect women with pelvic floor myofascial pain and revealed a sensitivity of 34.8% and a specificity of 84.9% compared to the reference test. CONCLUSIONS This systematic review did not reveal any diagnostic test superior to the pre-defined reference test. There is a lack of consensus on the definition of pelvic floor myofascial pain and a lack of a validated diagnostic criteria which must be addressed to progress with meaningful research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Supuni C. Kapurubandara
- School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Level 1, Royal Hospital for Women, Barker Street, Randwick, Sydney, NSW 2031 Australia ,Department of O&G, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia ,Sydney West Advanced Pelvic Surgical Unit, SWAPS, Sydney, Australia
| | - Basia Lowes
- Sydney West Advanced Pelvic Surgical Unit, SWAPS, Sydney, Australia ,Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia ,Department of O&G, Blacktown Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ursula M. Sansom-Daly
- School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Level 1, Royal Hospital for Women, Barker Street, Randwick, Sydney, NSW 2031 Australia ,Behavioural Sciences Unit, Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children’s Hospital, Sydney, Australia ,Sydney Youth Cancer Service, Nelune Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Rebecca Deans
- School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Level 1, Royal Hospital for Women, Barker Street, Randwick, Sydney, NSW 2031 Australia ,GRACE Unit, Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jason A. Abbott
- School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Level 1, Royal Hospital for Women, Barker Street, Randwick, Sydney, NSW 2031 Australia ,GRACE Unit, Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney, Australia
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Arentz S, Smith C, Redmond R, Abbott J, Armour M. A cross-sectional study of traditional Chinese medicine practitioner's knowledge, treatment strategies and integration of practice of chronic pelvic pain in women. BMC Complement Med Ther 2021; 21:174. [PMID: 34167548 PMCID: PMC8229696 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-021-03355-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) in women is persistent, intermittent cyclical and non-cyclical lower abdominal pain, lasting for more than 6 months. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a popular treatment option for women's health conditions, but little is known about how treatment for CPP is delivered by TCM practitioners. The aim of this survey was to explore practitioners understanding and treatment of women with CPP, and how they integrate their management and care into the health care system. METHOD An online cross-sectional survey of registered TCM practitioners in Australia and New Zealand between May and October 2018. Survey domains included treatment characteristics (e.g. frequency), evaluation of treatment efficacy, referral networks, and sources of information that informed clinical decision making. RESULTS One hundred and twenty-two registered TCM practitioners responded to this survey, 91.7% reported regular treatment of women with CPP. Treatment decisions were most-often guided by a combination of biomedical and TCM diagnosis (77.6%), and once per week was the most common treatment frequency (66.7%) for acupuncture. Meditation (63.7%) and dietary changes (57.8%) were other commonly used approaches to management. The effectiveness of treatment was assessed using multiple approaches, most commonly pain scales, (such as the numeric rating scale) and any change in use of analgesic medications. Limitations to TCM treatment were reported by over three quarters (83.7%) of practitioners, most commonly due to cost (56.5%) and inconvenience (40.2%) rather than safety or lack of efficacy. Sources informing practice were most often Integration within the wider healthcare system was common with over two thirds (67.9%) receiving referrals from health care providers. CONCLUSION TCM practitioners seeing women with various CPP symptoms, commonly incorporate both traditional and modern diagnostic methods to inform their treatment plan, monitor treatment progress using commonly accepted approaches and measures and often as a part of multidisciplinary healthcare for women with CPP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Arentz
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
| | - Caroline Smith
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
- Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
| | - Rebecca Redmond
- Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
- Office of Research, Endeavour College of Natural Health, Fortitude Valley, QLD, Australia
| | - Jason Abbott
- School of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Barker Street, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia
| | - Mike Armour
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia.
- Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia.
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Van Niekerk L, Weaver-Pirie B, Matthewson M. Psychological interventions for endometriosis-related symptoms: a systematic review with narrative data synthesis. Arch Womens Ment Health 2019; 22:723-35. [PMID: 31081520 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-019-00972-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Endometriosis impacts the physical, psychological and quality of life domains of women. Despite the medical and/or surgical management of endometriosis, the presence of persistent pelvic pain and psychological distress often continues, suggesting a role for psychological interventions in treatment planning. The present study aimed to conduct the first systematic review, with narrative data synthesis, on psychological interventions for endometriosis-related symptoms. The study also aimed to determine the effectiveness of current interventions in resolving psychological and pain-related loss of function associated with endometriosis and to identify gaps in the literature requiring further research. A total of 15,816 studies were retrieved through database searching and handsearching, with two researchers identifying 11 full-text studies that met inclusion criteria. Three studies of 'moderate' quality were identified, although the overall quality of studies was found to be 'weak', with a 'high' risk of bias. The findings regarding the effectiveness of psychological interventions for endometriosis-related symptoms remain inconclusive. Further research into psychological interventions for women with endometriosis that employ evidence-based protocols with high intervention integrity is recommended.
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