None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Female chronic pelvic pain is a debilitating condition that significantly impacts women’s’ health and quality of life. WCH Physiotherapy referrals for chronic pelvic pain are rising in an unsustainable way for the current individualised care approach. A revised, coordinated approach to care is required, in response to growing demand. This project plans to determine if outcomes are improved when women with chronic pelvic pain have group education sessions included in care pathways. There will be 3 treatment arms: treatment arm 1 – individualised care; treatment arm 2 - an introductory group education session followed by individual care; treatment arm 3 – group education, individual care and an 8 week group therapy program. Group sessions will provide information about chronic pain, introduce relevant therapeutic concepts, promote treatment adherence and maintain motivation through regular contact and message reinforcement. Pelvic pain scores and pain impact are the primary outcomes assessed. Other secondary outcomes include patient satisfaction surveys, time off work/school, use of medications to manage pain, physical activity engagement, and time to discharge from physiotherapy.
Interventions
This study aims to determine if health or economic outcomes are improved when women with chronic pelvic pain have group education sessions included in care plans.
Participants with chronic pelvic pain referred to Physiotherapy will be quasi-randomised to one of three arms: 1) suite of scheduled individual consultations over 14 weeks (current/"usual" practice), 2) an introductory group education session attendance followed by a suite of scheduled individual consultations over 14 weeks and 3) an
This study aims to determine if health or economic outcomes are improved when women with chronic pelvic pain have group education sessions included in care plans. Participants with chronic pelvic pain referred to Physiotherapy will be quasi-randomised to one of three arms: 1) suite of scheduled individual consultations over 14 weeks (current/"usual" practice), 2) an introductory group education session attendance followed by a suite of scheduled individual consultations over 14 weeks and 3) an introductory group education session followed by weekly group therapy sessions (8 week program) and a suite of scheduled individual consultations over 14 weeks. Physiotherapy led group sessions will provide education about chronic pain, introduce relevant therapeutic concepts, promote treatment adherence and maintain motivation through regular contact and message reinforcement, and a consumer focus group will provide input to group session content/format. All treatment arms will be provided by Physiotherapists with post graduate qualifications in Women's Health Physiotherapy and a minimum 5 years clinical experience, and all intervention will occur at the Women's and Children's Hospital (Women's Physiotherapy department). Treatment arm 1: Participants will attend individual face to face consultations with a Physiotherapist, and will undergo comprehensive assessment (subjective, objective) and management. The schedule of consultations is designed to promote motivation and adherence through more regular contact/reinforcement of key messages early in the schedule - participants will attend a 1 hour session, and then 30 min review appointments at 2 weeks / 6 weeks / 10 weeks / 14 weeks. Participants will receive locally developed take home written resources (specific to chronic pelvic pain) and be directed to existing applications/online programs (eg mindfulness applications) to reinforce the care received face to face. Treatment arm 2: Participants will attend a preliminary group education session (2 hour duration) which will introduce key pain science concepts and chronic pain management strategies, before attending individual consultations (per treatment arm 1). Treatment arm 3: Participants will attend the preliminary group education session and individual consultations (per treatment arm 2) but will also attend an 8 week group therapy program (1 hour sessions). Each group therapy session will be lead by an experienced Physiotherapist and will include an exercise component as well as a short education topic related to chronic pain management from the multi-disciplinary team. Participants will receive a copy of the commercially available "Explain Pain workbook: Protectometer" (available via http://www.protectometer.com/products.html) to work through over the 8 week group therapy program.
Sponsors
Women's and Children's Hospital
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Investigator)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
15 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Pelvic pain that has been present for 6 months or more that has been medically investigated, with or without confirmed or suspected endometriosis
Exclusion criteria
a) women from non-English speaking backgrounds requiring interpreting assistance, b) women with known intellectual disability, c) women who have previously accessed Physiotherapy intervention for CPP, d) women with known presence of active, major mental disorder (e.g. psychotic disorder, clear suicide risk) and/or significant mental health symptoms precluding group participation, e) women with an acute physical condition or illness exists which is currently being treated in a manner which would preclude adequate participation in the program, f) women who have not had the source of their persistent pain adequately investigated medically.
Outcome results
None listed