Influence of COVID-19 on pelvic healthcare: the perspectives of physical therapists in the USA

Author(s): S. Dixson, K. E. Snyder & J. A. Peterson - Pages: 72–78

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic will have a long-lasting impact on the healthcare system. The purpose of this study was to explore physical therapists’ perceptions of the COVID-19 pandemic’s influence on the experience of women seeking pelvic health treatment. Sixteen telephone interviews were conducted via snowball sampling between May 2021 and April 2022. The findings were analysed using inductive content analysis. Physical therapists (n = 16) who were licensed in the USA, treated women with pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) and practised during the COVID-19
pandemic were eligible to participate in this study. Four themes were identified by inductive content analysis: the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic initially discouraged patients from seeking treatment for their PFD, but vaccines increased their confidence and led to an increase in visits; physical therapists believe that COVID-19 will have a lasting impact on clinical policies and procedures (e.g. wearing a mask and enhanced hygiene); they suspect that COVID-19 diagnoses may be related to PFD (e.g. a worsening or onset of symptoms); and there has been an upward trend in treatment for patients with pelvic pain since the start of the pandemic. Physical therapists perceive that there has been a lasting impact on how and why patients seek pelvic health treatment as a result of the COVID-19
pandemic. More research is needed to understand the influence that the ongoing pandemic has had on patients seeking pelvic healthcare to determine how to best support their experience of treatment.
Keywords: COVID-19, pelvic floor dysfunction, pelvic pain, physical therapy, urinary incontinence.