Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Among Female Physiotherapy Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

February 24, 2025 updated by: Doaa A. Osman, Cairo University

This study aims to:

estimate the prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction among female physiotherapy students at Cairo University.
identify potential risk factors that may be associated with pelvic floor dysfunction in this student population.
assess the level of awareness regarding pelvic floor health among female physiotherapy students at Cairo University.
explore how female physiotherapy students at Cairo University utilize available healthcare resources for managing pelvic floor-related concerns.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Pelvic Floor Disorders

Intervention / Treatment

Other: No intervention

Detailed Description

Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) is a global health problem that affects millions of women worldwide. It encompasses a broad range of interrelated disorders affecting the pelvic region, including urinary incontinence, pelvic pain, constipation, sexual dysfunction, and pelvic organ prolapse. While PFD is often associated with pregnancy, childbirth, and aging, recent studies suggest that these conditions may also affect younger populations, including nulliparous women.

Pelvic floor health is crucial for supporting pelvic organs, maintaining continence, and facilitating sexual function. However, the impact of PFD on women's health and quality of life is significant, with important consequences for physical and mental well-being. These disorders often coexist and compound each other's impact, leading to disabling symptoms, embarrassment, social isolation, impaired task performance, loss of personal and intimate relationships, and reduced participation in leisure activities.

Despite the substantial burden of PFD, there is a lack of comprehensive data on the prevalence, risk factors, and awareness levels of these conditions among specific populations, particularly young women pursuing higher education. Physiotherapy students, who are expected to have a good understanding of musculoskeletal and pelvic health, represent an important group to study in this context.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

180

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Name: Doaa A. Osman, PhD
Phone Number: 01115792245
Email: Doaa.osman@cu.edu.eg

Study Contact Backup

Name: Amira Nagy Abdellatif Hamad, PhD

Study Locations

Egypt
- - Giza, Egypt
    - Recruiting
    - Cairo University
    - Contact:
      
      Doaa A. Osman, PhD
      
      Phone Number: 01115792245
      
      Email: Doaa.osman@cu.edu.eg
    - Principal Investigator:
      
      Amira Nagy Abdellatif Hamad, PhD
    - Principal Investigator:
      
      Azza Mohamed Abd El-Mohsen, PhD
    - Sub-Investigator:
      
      Arwa Nady Abd El Ghafar Ibrahim, Student
    - Sub-Investigator:
      
      Doha Yousry Ibrahim Mohamed, Student
    - Sub-Investigator:
      
      Farida Khaled Foad Ibrahim, Student

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

N/A

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

This study aims to enrol a sample of 180 female physiotherapy students from Cairo University, from the first-year to the fifth-year levels, to ensure adequate representation across different stages of the academic program.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Virgin undergraduate physiotherapy students.
Their age will range from 18-25 years.

Exclusion Criteria:

Neurological disorders or injuries that may affect pelvic floor function (e.g., fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis).
Mental health or cognitive disorders that could affect data collection.
Females who have undergone any form of abdominal surgery prior to the time of the study.
Females with current use of medications that may affect pelvic floor function (e.g., anticholinergics, opioids, antidepressants).

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Modified Australian pelvic floor questionnaire Time Frame: 2 months	It will be used to estimate the prevalence of pelvic floor disorders through assessing their bladder function, bowel function, and pelvic organ prolapse. This questionnaire will be administered electronically via online survey platforms.	2 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
A self-administered survey Time Frame: 2 months	A self-administered survey will be used to assess potential associated risk factors, including lifestyle habits, weight, BMI, family history, mental health factors (stress, anxiety, depression), physical health factors (sleep, exercise, dietary habits). Also, it will assess students' awareness of pelvic floor health and their utilization of available healthcare resources for managing pelvic floor-related concerns.	2 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Cairo University

Investigators

Study Chair: Doaa A. Osman, PhD, Assistant Professor, Cairo University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

February 4, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

April 4, 2025

Study Completion (Estimated)

April 25, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 30, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria