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Health literacy in women with chronic pelvic pain

  • General Gynecology
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis

Limited health literacy (HL) is a risk factor for poor patient outcomes, including pain. Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a prevalent disorder affecting up to 25% of women and coexists with multiple overlapping conditions. This study aimed to describe health literacy in women with CPP, primarily correlate HL to pain intensity and pain duration, and secondarily correlate HL to mood symptoms and pain catastrophizing. We hypothesized that women with CPP with higher HL would report lower levels of pain intensity and duration.

Methods

This was a prospective, cross-sectional study. Forty-five women with CPP were recruited from outpatient Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery clinics. Validated questionnaires were administered to evaluate pain intensity and duration, pain disability, psychological symptoms, pain catastrophizing, and health literacy. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics of patient characteristics and summary scores, as well as Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients (rho) to assess the strength of associations between summary scores and health literacy.

Results

Forty-five women with CPP were enrolled with mean age of 49 years, majority non-Hispanic White, and median chronic pelvic pain duration of 7 years. Possible or high likelihood of limited health literacy was identified in 20% women with CPP (11.1% and 8.9%, respectively). Limited health literacy was moderately correlated with pain intensity, depressive symptoms, and pain catastrophizing. Pain duration was not significantly correlated with health literacy. The remaining 80% of women with CPP were likely to have adequate health literacy.

Conclusions

A majority of women with CPP in this single center study were likely to have adequate health literacy. Limited health literacy was seen in a minority of women with CPP but was moderately correlated with greater pain intensity, more depressive symptoms, and higher pain catastrophizing. This study identified that women with CPP were likely to have adequate HL, but underscores the importance of considering HL screening and interventions in those with higher pain intensity, depression, and pain catastrophizing.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 S. 1st Ave, Chicago, IL, 60153, USA

    Stacey Bennis & Colleen M. Fitzgerald

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 S. 1st Ave, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA

    Stacey Bennis & Colleen M. Fitzgerald

  3. Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA

    Yolanda N. Pham & Irene Tseng

  4. Boston College, Newton, MA, 02647, USA

    Blaise Malisch

  5. Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA

    Cara J. Joyce

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  1. Stacey Bennis
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  2. Yolanda N. Pham
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  3. Irene Tseng
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  4. Blaise Malisch
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Contributions

SB: Project development, Project administration/supervision, Data collection, Data analysis, Manuscript writing, Manuscript editing. IT: Data collection, Data analysis, Manuscript writing. BM: Data collection. YNP: Data collection, Data analysis, Manuscript writing. CJJ: Project development, Data analysis, Manuscript writing, Manuscript editing. CMF: Project development, Project administration/supervision, Data collection, Data analysis, Manuscript writing, Manuscript editing.

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Correspondence to Stacey Bennis.

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Prior Conferences: Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP) Physiatry’22, New Orleans, LA, May 2022. American Urogynecologic Society/International Urogynecological Association (AUGS/IUGA) 2022 Scientific Meeting, Austin, TX, June 2022.

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Bennis, S., Pham, Y.N., Tseng, I. et al. Health literacy in women with chronic pelvic pain. Arch Gynecol Obstet 308, 919–926 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-023-07066-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-023-07066-w

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