Assessing the impact of chronic pelvic pain in women : a mixed methods study

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is multifaceted in nature and is related to a number of disorders including endometriosis, chronic pelvic inflammatory infection, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This thesis aimed to explore the experiences of women with CPP and provide a thorough review of research examining different treatments and interventions for women experiencing sexual pain. In addition, this thesis aimed to develop a new measure that assesses the impact of CPP on women's lives. Study 1: A systematic review if the literature that investigated which treatments for female sexual pain have been evaluated in clinical studies and the clinical effectiveness of these treatments. Study 2: A qualitative study that explored womens' experiences of CPP in terms of their ability to cope with the pain and their perceptions of how the pain had impacted their ability to work, socialise, engage in hobbies, exercise, and personal relationships. This was achieved by conducting in-depth interviews with 25 women with CPP. Study 3: A think-aloud study with 10 women with CPP that aimed to pilot and develop a new questionnaire that assesses the impact of CPP: The Impact of Female Chronic Pelvic Pain questionnaire (IF-CPPQ). The ... (continues)