CHRONIC GYNECOLOGICAL PAIN - AN EXPLORATION OF MEDICAL ATTITUDES

Women with chronic pelvic pain experience serious distress and lifesty le disruption. Confronted with a difficult condition to diagnose and t reat effectively, doctors express a negative perception of this group of 'heartsink' patients. This study aimed to characterise medical atti tudes towards the treatment of women with chronic pelvic pain. Tape re corded focus group discussions with gynaecologists, general practition ers and patients were transcribed and analysed using ethnographic soft ware to identify themes. A postal questionnaire was sent to 300 Britis h gynaecologists of which 145 were returned (48%). Principal component s analysis identified five factors accounting for 32.4% of the varianc e, labelled 'efficiency', 'complexity', 'socio-cultural liberalism', ' pathology' and 'communication'. Scores for 'socio-cultural liberalism' were higher among gynaecologists in the younger age groups, women, an d those giving their ethnic origin as Caucasian. Scores for 'pathology ' were lower among younger gynaecologists. A sex difference just faile d to reach statistical significance. Multiple linear regression confir med significant independent relationships with scores for 'socio-cultu ral liberalism' and respondent sex, ethnicity and age group under 38 y ears. (C) 1998 International Association for the Study of Pain. Publis hed by Elsevier Science B.V.