A Multidisciplinary Pelvic Pain Clinic: Integrated Health Psychology in a Specialty Care Setting

Emily B.K. Thomas, Manny S. Stegall, Kathryn E. Farley, Stacey A. Pawlak
In: Journal of Women's Health · 2022 · vol. 31(11) , pp. 1639–1644 · doi:10.1089/jwh.2022.0072 · PMID:35704283 · PMC9836695 · W4282959114
article OA: green CC0 ⤵ 2 in-corpus citations
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-07 ⓘ

This study describes a multidisciplinary chronic pelvic pain clinic for women, finding high rates of trauma, anxiety, and depression, and linking surgical history to trauma and sexual abuse history to greater treatment seeking.

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Abstract

Purpose: Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a relatively common health problem, impacting around 25 million women globally. This study details the development of a multidisciplinary women's CPP clinic at a major U.S. academic medical center, and examines associations between mood, pain symptoms, and trauma history. Materials and Methods: Data were collected from 96 subjects, including self-report measures (Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and Brief Trauma Questionnaire), pain intensity ratings, psychiatric diagnoses, and relevant medical history. Results: Most subjects reported at least one traumatic experience. Nearly half of subjects met criteria for an anxiety disorder and/or a depressive disorder. Most subjects were diagnosed with pelvic floor dysfunction, and more than half were referred to physical therapy. Women with abdominal/pelvic surgery history reported more traumatic experiences than women without surgical history. Women with a history of sexual abuse reported trying more medications and seeking care from a greater number of providers. Many reported pain duration of >2 years. Conclusions: Study findings related to mental health and trauma support a multidisciplinary CPP approach that includes a clinical health psychology component. Future research may investigate the therapeutic processes that apply to this population to identify targeted efficacious interventions.

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chronic_pelvic_pain

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