title: Symptoms, quality of life, and factors affecting women's treatment decisions regarding pelvic organ prolapse.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We performed an investigation of symptoms, quality of life (QOL), and factors affecting women's treatment choice of pelvic organ prolapse (POP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and eight women presenting with POP were assessed by Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI), Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire (PFIQ), Short Form-36 (SF-36), Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q) system, and urodynamic studies. Treatment was arranged according to each woman's preference after counseling. Factors affecting treatment choice were evaluated. Descriptive statistics, chi-square or Fisher exact test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) test, and logistic regression analysis were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients had high prevalence of urinary, prolapse, and bowel symptoms. Their QOL was impaired, with Urinary Impact Questionnaire (UIQ) higher than the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Impact Questionnaire (POPIQ) score and lower SF-36 score compared with the population norm. Logistic regression analysis indicated that complication from vaginal pessary, urodynamic stress incontinence (USI), stage of prolapse, and Pelvic Organ Prolapse Distress Inventory (POPDI) scoring were factors for choosing surgical treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women with POP had great symptomatic distress and impaired QOL. Complication from vaginal pessary, USI, stage of prolapse, and POPDI scores were factors increasing the likelihood of the patient choosing surgical treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, 30-32 Ngan Shing Street, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong. symphorosa@cuhk.edu.hk
authors.forename: Symphorosa Shing Chee
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Rachel Yau Kar
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Ka Wah
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Yiu
authors.forename: Lai Loi
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Albe Wai Lam
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Tony Kwok Hung
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002681:China; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D056887:Pelvic Organ Prolapse / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D010570:Pessaries / Q000009:adverse effects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014563:Urodynamics / Q000502:physiology