“It's messing with my physical health. It's messing with my sex life”: Women’s perspectives about, and impact of, pelvic health issues whilst awaiting specialist care

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Pelvic health conditions are a common health complaint among women worldwide, and conservative management is recognised as first-line treatment. There is often a time lag between referral from general practitioners to specialist consultation and conservative therapy. Therefore, the aim of this research was to explore perspectives from women with pelvic health conditions while they wait for specialist input, specifically about their understanding of their condition and its impact. METHODS: This research was underpinned by a qualitative descriptive methodology. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with women with pelvic health conditions who were waiting for specialist gynaecology consultation. RESULTS: A total of 11 women shared their perspectives about, and their understanding of, their condition and its impact. Thematic analysis of the interview data identified a variety of experiences and perspectives of women waiting to see the gynaecologist. These perspectives were categorised into four different themes: drivers to seek help, understanding the condition, experience/feeling being on the waiting list and expectations from the gynaecology team. CONCLUSION: This study identified the main drivers for seeking help were worsening and/or persistent symptoms. Participants were able to articulate their symptoms, identify possible causes and describe various treatment options, and amenable to alternate treatment options. This research sheds light on the devastating impact of pelvic health conditions on women, which may be amplified while waiting to seek specialist input. There appears to be a need for health services to better support these women during this time of waiting.