MedPath

What Affects Willingness to Self-manage a Pessary?

Recruiting
Conditions
Prolapse, Vaginal
Prolapse; Female
Interventions
Other: Uncertain what intervention will be co-created
Registration Number
NCT05750615
Lead Sponsor
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Brief Summary

Pessary self-management is defined as the patient's ability to remove and reinsert their pessary themselves at home. Previous research has suggested that some women may prefer being able to remove and reinsert their pessary as they wish rather than wait for clinic appointments. At the moment, not enough is known about pessary self-management, particularly what makes someone more or less likely to try pessary self-management. The investigators would like to understand this better to try to help women overcome barriers they might face. This study aims to collect data via both questionnaires and interviews to explore willingness to self-manage a pessary. Using findings from the questionnaires and interviews, a group of women who use pessaries and healthcare professionals who provide pessary care will work together to develop a better way to support women to feel able and willing to manage their pessary in future.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
Female
Target Recruitment
132
Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Quantitative phase exclusion criteria

  • Lacking capacity to give implied consent by completion of the questionnaire
  • Has a first or preferred language that is not English
  • Use a shelf, gell-horn or donut pessary

Qualitative phase exclusion criteria

  • Lacking capacity to give informed consent
  • First or preferred language that is not English or a language there is an available interpreter for

Intervention development phase exclusion criteria Pessary using women

  • Lacking capacity to give informed consent
  • Does not speak English Pessary practitioners
  • Lacking capacity to give informed consent
  • Does not speak English
  • Does not provide pessary care at a minimum of a monthly basis

Intervention pilot exclusion criteria

  • Lacking capacity to give informed consent, review the intervention and provide written and/or verbal feedback.
  • Does not speak English
  • Have prior experience self-managing a pessary (defined as previously removing or inserting their pessary, or receiving any pessary self-management teaching or support from a healthcare professional)

Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Pilot phaseUncertain what intervention will be co-createdPessary using women
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Willingness to self-manage a pessaryThrough study completion, an average of 1 appointment (1 day)

Women will be asked whether they are willing or not to self-manage a pessary for prolapse. This will be a binary yes, no or not sure answer.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
PessaryThrough study completion, an average of 1 appointment (1 day)

Type and size of pessary in situ

Female genital self-image score (FGSIS)Through study completion, an average of 1 appointment (1 day)

Women will also be asked to complete the Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSIS-4), a reliable and validated 4-item questionnaire which measures women's attitude and beliefs about their genitals (Herbenick and Reece, 2010). Scores in the FGSIS-4 range between 4-16, with a mean score of 12 in a nationally representative population of over 2000 American women (Herbenick et al., 2011). Herbenick et al. (2011) have not determined a binary score for high and low FGSIS, however for the purpose of this study, a score of eight or less will indicate low FGSI, whereas more than eight will indicate high FGSI. To score eight or less, a participant must disagree with all four statements describing genital self-image therefore this is deemed to accurately represent FGSIS-4.

ComorbiditiesThrough study completion, an average of 1 appointment (1 day)

Free text data for participant to report diagnosed health conditionns

Education statusThrough study completion, an average of 1 appointment (1 day)

Women will be asked to report their highest level of education

Length of pessary managementThrough study completion, an average of 1 appointment (1 day)

Total months pessary used for

EthnicityThrough study completion, an average of 1 appointment (1 day)

Ethnic groups in accordance with UK government agreed list of ethnicities

Post codeThrough study completion, an average of 1 appointment (1 day)

Post code at home address to determine deprivation of home address in accordance with UK government index of deprivation

AgeThrough study completion, an average of 1 appointment (1 day)

Full years since birth

Self-management experienceThrough study completion, an average of 1 appointment (1 day)

The woman will be asked whether she has previously removed or inserted her pessary

Self-management statusThrough study completion, an average of 1 appointment (1 day)

The woman will be asked whether she is currently self-managing her pessary (defined as removing and inserting it independently in between clinic appointments)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

🇬🇧

Manchester, United Kingdom

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath