Self-identification of Pelvic Floor Disorder Symptoms Among Latina Women: The Roles of Knowledge, Attitude, Behaviors, Beliefs, and Psychosocial Factors.

PURPOSE

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.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

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.

RESULTS

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).

CONCLUSIONS

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.