Patient-selected goal attainment for pessary wearers: what is the clinical relevance?
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether patient determined goal achievement is associated with pessary continuation.


METHODS
Patients identified goals they wished to achieve from pessary use. Patients were asked whether they continued pessary use and if goals were met 6-12 months later. Goals were divided into 8 categories. Fisher exact test was used to evaluate categorical variables, t tests for continuous variables, and regression methods to calculate odds ratios (OR).


RESULTS
Eighty women enrolled in the study. Sixty-four had follow-up data. Goals commonly listed were bladder (36%), activity (20%), general health (13%), and prolapse related (11%). Thirty-four women continued and 30 discontinued pessary use. Women who continued pessary use were more likely to meet 1 or 2 goals (OR 17.5, 21.1 and 95% CI 4.8-64.4, 5.7-78.9, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Patient goals are variable and subjective. However, when assessed for achievement, they are associated with pessary continuation. Women who attain self-determined goals are likely to continue pessary use.
Komesu
Yuko M
YM
University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA. ykomesu@salud.unm.edu
Rogers
Rebecca G
RG
Rode
Martha A
MA
Craig
Ellen C
EC
Schrader
Ronald M
RM
Gallegos
Katey A
KA
Villareal
Biatris
B
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010349:Patient Compliance; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010570:Pessaries; D011788:Quality of Life; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000503:physiopathology; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000628:therapy*