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- Title
Diagnosis of pelvic inflammatory disease and barriers to conducting pelvic examinations in Australian general practice: findings from an online survey.
- Authors
Bittleston, Helen; Coombe, Jacqueline; Temple-Smith, Meredith; Bateson, Deborah; Hunady, Jill; Sanci, Lena; Hocking, Jane S.; Goller, Jane L.
- Abstract
Background Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is under-diagnosed globally, particularly in primary care, and if untreated may cause reproductive complications. This paper investigates PID diagnosis by Australian general practitioners (GPs) and barriers to their conducting a pelvic examination.<bold>Methods: </bold>An online survey investigating Australian GPs' chlamydia management, including PID diagnosis, was conducted in 2019. From 323 respondents, 85.8% (n = 277) answered multiple-choice questions about PID and 74.6% (n = 241) answered a free-text question about barriers to conducting pelvic examinations. Using multivariable logistic regression, we identified factors associated with conducting pelvic examinations. Barriers to performing pelvic examinations were explored using thematic analysis.<bold>Results: </bold>Most GPs indicated that they routinely ask female patients with a sexually transmissible infection about PID symptoms, including pelvic pain (86.2%), abnormal vaginal discharge (95.3%), abnormal vaginal bleeding (89.5%), and dyspareunia (79.6%). Over half reported routinely conducting speculum (69.0%) and bimanual pelvic (55.3%) examinations for women reporting pelvic pain. Female GPs were more likely to perform speculum [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 4.6; 95%CI: 2.6-8.2] and bimanual pelvic examinations (AOR 3.7; 95%CI: 2.1-6.5). GPs with additional sexual health training were more likely to routinely perform speculum (AOR 2.2; 95%CI: 1.1-4.2) and bimanual pelvic examinations (AOR 2.1; 95%CI: 1.2-3.7). Barriers to pelvic examinations were patient unwillingness and/or refusal, GP gender, patient health-related factors, time pressures, and GP reluctance.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>Although GPs typically ask about PID symptoms when managing patients with chlamydia, they are not consistently able or willing to perform pelvic examinations to support a diagnosis, potentially reducing capacity to diagnose PID.
- Subjects
AUSTRALIA; PELVIC inflammatory disease; PELVIC examination; SEXUALLY transmitted diseases; INTERNET surveys; DIAGNOSIS; PELVIC pain; PELVIC inflammatory disease diagnosis; RESEARCH; FAMILY medicine; RESEARCH methodology; GYNECOLOGIC examination; MEDICAL cooperation; EVALUATION research; COMPARATIVE studies
- Publication
Sexual Health (14485028), 2021, Vol 18, Issue 2, p180
- ISSN
1448-5028
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1071/SH20176