title: Prevalence and triage of first contact pelvic floor dysfunction complaints in male patients referred to a Pelvic Care Centre.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  (i) To describe and analyse pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms in men referred to a Pelvic Care Centre (PCC). (ii) To describe the triage process of the same patients based on response to a first-contact interview.
  
  
  METHODS
  Triage started with a telephone interview using previously constructed questions, asking for six types of PF complaints during the preceding 6 months. If present, complaint severity was registered on a 0-10 scale. Next, these first-contact complaints were used to describe patient case mix profiles using cross-tabular analysis. Later on, at first PCC visit, an intake questionnaire regarding specific PF health problem(s) was filled out. This procedure contributed to a firm baseline characterization of the individual patient profile and a clinically valid allocation to structured, predefined assessment and treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 2005 to 2013 985 first-time patients (mean age 58.2 years (SD 15.3) have been referred to the PCC. Most frequently mentioned complaints: voiding dysfunctions (73.9%), urinary incontinence (29.5%), sexual problems (16.6%), faecal incontinence (13.9%), constipation (9.6%), and prolapse (0.3%). A first appointment to a single specialist was determined in 805 (81.7%) patients, in 137 (13.9%) consultation of >1 specialist. Data analysis revealed higher-order interactions between PF complaints, suggesting patient profile complexity and patient population heterogeneity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One out of seven PCC patients showed multifactorial problems, needing >1 specialist. PF complaints either turned out to stand alone or cluster with others, or even to strengthen, weaken, nullify or inverse relationships. Neurourol. Urodynam. 35:487-491, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Pelvic Care Centre Maastricht, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bary
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Berghmans
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Epidemiology & Medical Technology Assessment, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nieman
authors.affiliation: Pelvic Care Centre Maastricht, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leue
authors.affiliation: Pelvic Care Centre Maastricht, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weemhoff
authors.affiliation: Pelvic Care Centre Maastricht, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Breukink
authors.affiliation: Pelvic Care Centre Maastricht, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: van Koeveringe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003248:Constipation / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000503:physiopathology*; D059952:Pelvic Floor Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014218:Triage; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: multidisciplinary team; pelvic care centre; pelvic care nurse; pelvic floor dysfunctions; prevalence of patient complaints; triage