Rude Temitope, Sevilla Claudia, Chen Nanjun, Marin Priscilla, Chavez Alexandra, Yosufi Nahid, Unger Jennifer B, Baezconde-Garbanati Lourdes, Dancz Christina E, Ginsberg David, Rodriguez Larissa V, Stern Mariana C
Department of Urology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
Department of Urology, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2025 Jun 17. doi: 10.1007/s40615-025-02421-w.
The connection between experiencing symptoms and identifying them as a pelvic floor disorder (PFD) among Latina women is not well understood. Self-identification of PFD is a critical first step toward timely diagnosis. This study investigated self-reported symptoms of urinary incontinence (UI), fecal incontinence (FI), and pelvic organ prolapse (POP) in community-dwelling Latina women in Los Angeles to assess whether cultural and psychosocial factors influence the self-identification of PFDs.
We conducted a cross-sectional survey of community-dwelling Latina women (median age = 50) in Los Angeles using standardized surveys, including measures of acculturation; Latino and mainstream cultural values; knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs about PFDs; the Pelvic Floor Distress Index-20 (PFDI-20); and measures of stress and discrimination. Descriptive statistics, univariate, and multivariate logistic regression were performed to identify variables associated with self-identification of PFDs.
Of 197 women, 19% had bothersome symptoms consistent with POP, 33% with UI, and 14% with FI. Among the 70% of women who denied having a PFD, 39% reported at least one bothersome PFD symptom on the PFDI-20. Lower independence, higher religiosity, and higher perceived stress were independently associated with a higher likelihood of PFD self-identification (p < 0.05). Higher values of independence were less likely in women who were unsure if they had a PFD (OR = 0.38; 95%CI = 0.17-0.81, p = 0.01).
Despite the considerable prevalence of PFD symptoms among Latinas in Los Angeles, most do not self-identify as having a PFD. This discordance is correlated with the severity of symptoms and values of independence and religiosity or stress. Interventions to raise awareness and recognize symptoms are needed to improve self-identification and earlier detection of PFDs among Latinas.
拉丁裔女性出现症状与将这些症状识别为盆底功能障碍（PFD）之间的关联尚未得到充分理解。PFD的自我识别是迈向及时诊断的关键第一步。本研究调查了洛杉矶社区居住的拉丁裔女性尿失禁（UI）、粪失禁（FI）和盆腔器官脱垂（POP）的自我报告症状，以评估文化和心理社会因素是否会影响PFD的自我识别。
我们使用标准化调查问卷对洛杉矶社区居住的拉丁裔女性（中位年龄 = 50岁）进行了横断面调查，问卷包括文化适应程度；拉丁裔和主流文化价值观；关于PFD的知识、态度、行为和信念；盆底困扰指数 - 20（PFDI - 20）；以及压力和歧视的测量指标。进行描述性统计、单变量和多变量逻辑回归以确定与PFD自我识别相关的变量。
在197名女性中，19%有与POP一致的困扰症状，33%有UI相关症状，14%有FI相关症状。在70%否认患有PFD的女性中，39%在PFDI - 20上报告了至少一种困扰的PFD症状。较低的独立性、较高的宗教信仰和较高的感知压力与PFD自我识别的较高可能性独立相关（p < 0.05）。不确定自己是否患有PFD的女性中，独立性较高的情况较少见（OR = 0.38；95%CI = 0.17 - 0.81，p = 0.01）。
尽管洛杉矶的拉丁裔女性中PFD症状相当普遍，但大多数人并未自我识别为患有PFD。这种不一致与症状严重程度以及独立性、宗教信仰或压力价值观相关。需要开展提高认识和识别症状的干预措施，以改善拉丁裔女性对PFD的自我识别和早期检测。
