Strategies required to improve the management of chronic vulvar discomfort in Australia.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate factors required to improve the management of vulvar pain from a patient perspective.


METHODS
Sixty patients in four different specialised vulvar clinics.


METHODS
Women with chronic vulvar pain were asked to complete a questionnaire whilst waiting for specialist consultation by either a dermatologist, sexual health physican, psychologist or physiotherapist.


RESULTS
The average length of time patients had vulvar pain was 6.03 years, with a mean of 5.83 practitioners seen. Twenty-seven per cent indicated that increased awareness of vulvodynia was required by gynaecologists and 74% suggested that increased general practitioner awareness was necessary to improve care. Accurate diagnosis, and understanding lifestyle implications were key elements of patient satisfaction, considered more important than any available treatment modality.


CONCLUSIONS
Current services and skilled practitioners available for the management of chronic vulvar pain or vulvodynia in Australia do not reflect the estimated prevalence of this condition. From this study it was concluded that the three most important factors required to improve quality of care in order of importance were increased practitioner awareness, research and the setting up of more specialised multi-disciplinary clinics.
Wines
Nina
N
Department of Sexual Health, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014845:Vulvar Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*