ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Pelvic floor disorders (PFDs), significantly impacting women's quality of life, are often underdiscussed owing to misconceptions and limited understanding of treatment options. This study is aimed at validating an Arabic version of the Prolapse and Incontinence Knowledge Questionnaire (PIKQ) to assess knowledge of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and urinary incontinence (UI) among Arabic-speaking women, addressing knowledge gaps in these areas. METHODS: The study obtained ethical approval and followed a two-stage process, including a pilot study for preliminary validation and a larger study involving 300 participants. The PIKQ, a self-administered tool with two scales focusing on UI and POP, was translated into Arabic with cultural and linguistic adaptations. The study evaluated the reliability and validity of the Arabic PIKQ, employing Cronbach's alpha, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and Spearman's rho for reliability assessments, as well as factor analysis for construct validity. RESULTS: The Arabic PIKQ demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha > 0.8) and test-retest reliability (ICC > 0.79) for both the UI and the POP scales. The questionnaire also showed significant construct validity. Among the 300 participants, knowledge gaps were evident, influenced by educational and professional backgrounds. Notably, 22% reported UI and 14.7% reported pelvic organ prolapse, with less than half seeking treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The Arabic PIKQ has been validated as a reliable tool for improving knowledge and addressing misconceptions regarding PFDs among Arabic-speaking women. The study underscores the importance of culturally sensitive educational tools in enhancing awareness and facilitating access to medical care for pelvic floor disorders.
ABSTRACT
STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of continuous norethisterone acetate (NET-A), 5 mg (group N) vs cyclical combined oral contraceptive pill (COC) consisting of drospirenone 3 mg/ethinyl estradiol 20 µg pills (group P) in treating dysmenorrhea in young adult women. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This prospective, open-label, nonrandomized study included 38 Jordanian patients: 20 patients in group N and 18 patients in group P. INTERVENTIONS: Continuous NET-A 5 mg daily or cyclical COC. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pain scores, adverse effects, analgesic use, school absence, and cost. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients used NET-A or COC for 6 months. All participants had almost the same starting levels of visual analogue scale (VAS) scores. Both drugs were similar in suppressing dysmenorrhea at the 3-month follow-up visit; VAS score mean (±SD) in group N and P were 1.30 ± 1.22 and 1.28 ± 0.83 (P = .22), respectively, and after 6 months, with mean VAS scores (±SD) of 1.30 ± 1.22 and 1.28 ± 0.83, respectively (P = .95). The cost of the treatment in the N group was much less than in the P group. Participants in the N group were less likely to use pain killers: 20% and 44% in the N and P groups, respectively (P = .006) in the first month and only 5% and 17% (P = .019) in the N and P groups, respectively, at the 3-month follow-up, and none of them used any analgesics at the 6-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: A continuous NET-A regimen is a well tolerated, effective, and inexpensive option for dysmenorrhea treatment and was as good as COC.
