Context of this work

Introduction

MSSS has mandated the Institut national d’excellence en santé et en services sociaux (INESSS) to evaluate the relevance of including perineal and pelvic training in the range of public services provided for the prevention or treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction in women, and the feasibility of implementing a universal program if considered relevant.

Pelvic floor dysfunction most often results in urinary incontinence, but also in perineal pain, dyspareunia (pain during sex), fecal incontinence, functional constipation (not caused by another medical problem) or prolapse (descent) of organs. Several factors can increase the risk of this dysfunction, including age, pregnancy and parity (total number of births), perimenopause, lifestyle habits and physical activity.

Several approaches can be used to treat pelvic floor dysfunction, including physiological, behavioural, pharmacological and surgical treatments and perineal and pelvic training. Perineal and pelvic training, usually performed by a registered physiotherapist, consists of several pelvic floor muscle strengthening and relaxation exercises, which may or may not be accompanied by biofeedback, electrical stimulation or an educational, behavioural or manual approach, and is supported by tools such as vaginal cones or pessaries.
Your participation

L’INESSS would like to collect information about experiences with the condition (either clinically or physically) and the care and services received, from people of female sex, regardless of their gender identity, either
  • living with pelvic floor dysfunction, or
  • having a condition that could increase the risk of developing pelvic floor dysfunction, or
  • pregnant or wanting to give birth to a child, or
  • in perimenopause
AND using, has used or is considering perineal and pelvic training to prevent or treat a condition.
Benefits for participants

There are no financial or direct benefits for you to gain from completing the questionnaire. However, the responses will serve to better understand the needs of women with or at risk of developing pelvic floor dysfunction, and the care and services offered to them in Québec, particularly with respect to perineal and pelvic training.
Risks for participants

Your participation does not pose any risk and the only inconvenience we anticipate is the time you will need to spend on the questionnaire.
Your consent

No personal information that could be used to identify you will be used by or shared with third parties. Only the team of professionals assigned to this project will have access to the information collected by the questionnaire and all information will be destroyed at the end of the project. Completing the questionnaire and submitting it online will be considered as confirmation of your freely given and informed consent to participate in the project. You can leave the project at any time without any consequences.

Your participation is very important to us. We would like to thank you for your time and dedication to our work. If you have any questions, please contact:

Marilyn Fortin, Ph. D.
Professional scientist
Email: marilyn.fortin@inesss.qc.ca
For INESSS’s project team on perineal and pelvic training to prevent and treat pelvic floor dysfunction
 
 6% of survey complete.

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