Abstract
Introduction and hypothesis There is no agreed assessment tool for physiotherapists treating pelvic organ prolapse. This study hypothesised that pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q) assessment was a feasible measure for use by physiotherapists and tested inter- and intra-rater agreement. Methods Six physiotherapists and two gynaecologists participated. Women were recruited from uro/gynaecology clinics. Two POP-Q examinations were performed at the first clinic (gynaecologist, physiotherapist 1) and 1 week later (physiotherapist 1, physiotherapist 2). The examination was timed and women completed a short questionnaire. Using weighted kappa, agreement of POP-Q stage was assessed. Results Forty-five women were recruited (median age 59, range 32-87 years). Agreement between gynaecologist and physiotherapist was substantial (weighted kappa=0.63). Weighted kappa was 0.67 for inter-rater agreement between two different physiotherapists and 0.71 for intra-rater reliability for the same physiotherapist. Examination time was significantly shorter (difference 53±73 s, p<0.001) for gynaecologists. Participants found the examination acceptable. Conclusions POP-Q is a feasible and reliable outcome measure for physiotherapists to use.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 651-656 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | International Urogynecology Journal |
Volume | 21 |
Issue number | 6 |
Early online date | 27 Jan 2010 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jun 2010 |
Keywords
- physiotherapists
- POP-Q
- prolapse
- reliability