title: Communication between physicians and Spanish-speaking Latin American women with pelvic floor disorders: a cycle of misunderstanding?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to assess the effect of the initial visit with a specialist on disease understanding among Spanish-speaking women with pelvic floor disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  Spanish-speaking women with referrals suggestive of urinary incontinence (UI) and/or pelvic organ prolapse (POP) were recruited from public urogynecology clinics. Patients participated in a health literacy assessment and interview before and after their physician encounter. All interviews were analyzed using Grounded Theory qualitative methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-seven women with POP (n = 6), UI (n = 11), and POP/UI (n = 10) were enrolled in this study. The mean age was 55.5 years, and most women had marginal levels of health literacy. From our qualitative analysis, 3 concepts emerged. First, was that patients had poor understanding of their diagnosis before and after the encounter regardless of how extensive the physician's explanation or level of Spanish-proficiency. Second, patients were overwhelmed with the amount of information given to them. Lastly, patients ultimately put their trust in the physician, relying on them for treatment recommendations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings emphasize the difficulty Spanish-speaking women with low health literacy have in understanding information regarding pelvic floor disorders. In this specific population, the physician has a major role in influencing patients' treatment decisions and helping them overcome fears they may have about their condition.
authors: Department of Urology, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Sevilla
authors: Cecilia K
authors: CK
authors: Wieslander
authors: Alexandriah N
authors: AN
authors: Alas
authors: Gena C
authors: GC
authors: Dunivan
authors: Aqsa A
authors: AA
authors: Khan
authors: Sally L
authors: SL
authors: Maliski
authors: Rebecca G
authors: RG
authors: Rogers
authors: Jennifer Tash
authors: JT
authors: Anger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003142:Communication; D032882:Comprehension; D003376:Counseling; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D057220:Health Literacy; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D059952:Pelvic Floor Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations