OTs’ Perspectives on Their Unique Role in Pelvic Health

PURPOSE: Pelvic floor dysfunction, which is estimated to affect 28 million women worldwide (Ciangola et al., 2014), may cause disruption to individuals’ occupations and decrease quality of life. This is an emerging practice area for occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) yet there is a gap in the literature detailing their perspectives on their unique contributions in pelvic health.

DESIGN: This exploratory descriptive study explored OTPs’ perspectives on the unique role they play as pelvic health practitioners. We used an online survey to purposively recruit and screen OTPs for an interview. Inclusion criteria required that participants a) be a licensed or retired OTP, b) have at least one year experience as an OTP, and c) have any professional experience in pelvic health.

METHOD: An online survey was used to obtain demographic and inclusion criteria and was analyzed descriptively. One-on-one semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Using Dedoose software, thematic inductive analysis was conducted.

RESULTS: Thirteen OTPs participated in an interview. It was found that OTPs believe they offer a unique contribution to the pelvic health field. Three primary qualitative themes were generated that elaborate on this belief: OTPs apply a psychosocial lens, the OT approach is comprehensive, and OTPs use occupation-focused interventions.

CONCLUSION: This study identified the perceptions of OTPs regarding their unique approach to working with clients in pelvic health. Data suggests that OTPs complement the biomechanical focus of other pelvic health providers by recognizing the role of mental health and intervening to down-regulate the nervous system. This study contributes to evidence of the value of OTPs in pelvic health. Further, it exposes opportunities for future research on the efficacy of these identified unique approaches to care.

References

Ciangola, C. I., Capuano, I., Perrone, F., & Franceschilli, L. (2014). Epidemiology and prevalence of pelvic floor disorders. In E. L. Gaspari & P. Sileri (Eds.), Pelvic Floor Disorders: Surgical Approach (pp. 9–15). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-5441-7_2

Cheng, M. C., Liu, S. P., Chuang, Y. C., Hsu, K. C. P., & Chow, P. M. (2022). Prevalence and impacts of male urinary incontinence on quality of life, mental health, work limitation, and health care seeking in China, Taiwan, and South Korea (LUTS Asia): Results from a cross-sectional, population-based study. Investigative and Clinical Urology, 63(1), 71–82. https://doi.org/10.4111/icu.20210259

Burkhart, R., Couchman, K., Crowell, K., Jeffries, S., Monvillers, S., & Vilensky, J. (2021). Pelvic floor dysfunction after childbirth: Occupational impact and awareness of available treatment. OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health, 41(2), 108–115. https://doi.org/10.1177/1539449220970881