Using the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire to Improve Urinary Incontinence Assessments for Female Veterans

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate quality of life (QoL) in female veterans by comparing responses of the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire (PFIQ-7) before and after a chosen treatment for urinary incontinence (UI), determine whether a QoL assessment was being completed for each woman seeking care for UI, and review the PFIQ-7 questionnaire scores to ensure the veterans were offered the appropriate levels of treatment.

Design: Quality improvement project using the plan-do-study-act cycle for evaluating change.

Setting/local problem: A Veterans Affairs Medical Center in the midwestern United States. No standardized education or QoL questionnaire was being used for female veterans diagnosed with UI before implementation of the project.

Participants: Twenty female veterans diagnosed with stress or mixed UI who had completed Kegel exercises or pelvic floor rehabilitation (PFR) and a pre- and posttreatment PFIQ-7.

Interventions/measurements: The Veterans Affairs Medical Center incorporated the PFIQ-7 into routine practice for pre- and posttreatment assessment of UI. Data were collected through a retrospective chart review.

Results: The mean initial PFIQ-7 score for participants (n = 4) who chose PFR was 71.77 (SD = 82.79). The mean final PFIQ-7 score for participants in the PFR group was 43.99 (SD = 63.34). The mean initial PFIQ-7 score for participants who chose Kegel exercises was 71.72 (SD = 34.92), and the final score was 60.71 (SD = 44.98). When comparing pre- and posttreatment scores, a lower score means there was a positive effect from the treatment and reflects an improved QoL.

Conclusion: The addition of the QoL assessment tool assisted staff in developing an individualized plan of care for female veterans. Regardless of treatment option chosen, participants who did not show an overall improvement in the pre- and posttreatment QoL scores were referred to a more advanced level of care.

Keywords: PFIQ-7; Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire; female veterans; mixed urinary incontinence; quality of life; stress incontinence; urinary incontinence; veteran; women.