Patients’ Perceptions on Surgical Care Suspension for Pelvic Floor Disorders During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Objectives The primary objective of the study was to evaluate patients’ attitudes toward the postponement of their scheduled procedures for pelvic floor disorders (PFD) because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondary objectives were to identify patients who were upset with the postponement of their PFD procedures and to identify factors that are associated with being upset because of the delay in care. Methods This was a cross-sectional, survey-based study of women from a single urban, academic practice using a novel questionnaire. The study cohort included women whose PFD surgeries or office procedures were postponed between March 17 and April 30, 2020. Results Ninety-eight women had surgeries postponed; 68 (70%) responded to our questionnaire. Nearly half of the respondents (32/68, 47.1%) were upset about their procedures being postponed. Upset patients reported a greater impact of PFD symptoms on their mood than those who were not upset (P=0.002). Those who were upset were also more likely to report feelings of isolation (P=0.006), fear that their PFD would worsen because of delayed care (P < 0.001), and anxiety over surgery postponement (P < 0.001) than those who were not upset about the delays. When controlling for anxiety, social isolation, and impact of PFD symptom, anxiety (adjusted odds ratio = 15.7; 95% confidence interval = 3.7–66.6) and feeling of isolation (adjusted odds ratio = 9.7; 95% confidence interval = 1.5–63.7) remained associated with increased odds of being upset because of procedure delays. Conclusions Half of women whose pelvic reconstructive procedures were postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic were upset because of the delay in care, especially those who are emotionally and socially vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mohs Micrographic Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Considering the Patient Perspective

“…Furthermore, patients who reported being unhappy were more likely to report feelings of isolation and anxiety because their surgery was postponed. 12 In another study involving patients with lung cancer, 9.1% (N=15) of patients postponed their treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic because of pandemicrelated anxiety. 13 With the goal of improving care at our institution, we conducted a brief institutional review board-approved survey to evaluate how postponing MMS treatment due to the COVID-19 pandemic affected patients.…”

The effect of the COVID‐19 lockdown on women presenting with pelvic organ prolapse

“…One study found that patients whose prolapse surgery was postponed during the pandemic experienced depressed mood as a result of their symptoms, fear that delayed care would worsen their condition, and anxiety over surgery postponement 10 . Following a survey that assessed the quality of life in women with pelvic floor disorders, the majority reported that their disorder remained equally relevant or became more significant during the pandemic 11 .…”

“…One study found that patients whose prolapse surgery was postponed during the pandemic experienced depressed mood as a result of their symptoms, fear that delayed care would worsen their condition, and anxiety over surgery postponement. 10 Following a survey that assessed the quality of life in women with pelvic floor disorders, the majority reported that their disorder remained equally relevant or became more significant during the pandemic. 11 Another study found that patients with more advanced prolapse (stage III/IV) reported a decreased quality of life caused by progression of their symptoms when compared to patients with earlier stages of prolapse (stage I/II).…”

Stress, anxiety, and illness perception in patients experiencing delay in operative care due to the COVID-19 pandemic

“…( Kimmig et al, 2020 , Bartlett et al, 2020 Jun , Finley et al, 2020 May 1 ) Additional research has focused upon patient perception of surgical delay, and willingness to reschedule surgery. ( Brown et al, 2020 , Sii et al, 2020 Oct ) A study investigating patients’ attitudes towards the postponement of scheduled procedures for pelvic floor disorders discovered that up to half of patients were upset by the delay in their care ( Mou et al, 2020 ), but did not quantify the impact on patient psyche. Research has determined when faced with delay in ovarian cancer care due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 51.4 % of patients experienced borderline or abnormal anxiety, and 88.6 % experienced significant worry.…”