title: Patient-selected goals: the fourth dimension in assessment of pelvic floor disorders.
abstract: The purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between self-expressed urogynecologic goals, symptoms, and treatment choice. Charts of women presenting for urogynecology consultation were reviewed. Demographics, diagnoses and responses to the pelvic floor distress inventory and medical, social, and epidemiologic aspects of aging questionnaires were recorded. Patients listed urogynecology goals before consultation. We categorized goals into five categories and then compared these categories by symptom type, severity, and treatment. Three hundred five women reported 635 goals (median 2, range 1-6). The number of goals listed per patient did not differ by age, race, comorbidities, or clinical diagnosis (p > 0.05). The most frequent goal category was symptoms (67%), followed by information seeking (12%), lifestyle (11%), emotional (4%), and "other" (6%). Women selecting non-surgical treatment were more likely to list information seeking as primary goal than those who chose surgery (p = 0.009). One third of participants expressed a primary non-symptom goal and were more likely to seek non-surgical therapy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Loyola University Medical Center, 2160 South First Avenue, Maywood, IL 60153, USA. llowenstein@lumc.edu
authors.forename: Lior
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lowenstein
authors.forename: Mary P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: FitzGerald
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kenton
authors.forename: Yashika
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dooley
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Templehof
authors.forename: Elizabeth R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brubaker
mesh_terms: D052858:Cystocele / Q000628:therapy; D003657:Decision Making; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D010358:Patient Participation; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000628:therapy*; D014596:Uterine Prolapse / Q000628:therapy