Can a Patient Questionnaire Together with Staff Education Increase Diagnostics of Endometriosis in Primary Care?

Context: Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent, benign, chronic inflammatory disease, characterised by endometrial-like tissue outside of the uterus. Due to diagnostic difficulties, women with endometriosis usually have symptoms for many years (6-12 years) before receiving a diagnosis

Objective: To evaluate if a brief educational intervention for primary health care staff regarding endometriosis gives sustainable knowledge of endometriosis symptoms and if a brief questionnaire for women seeking care for common symptoms is feasible in the Swedish primary care context.

Study Design and Analysis: Pilot study exploring knowledge among staff about endometriosis at baseline and 3 months after an information workshop at 3 primary care centres (PCCs). Evaluation of feasibility of a brief questionnaire for women seeking care for common symptoms For PCC personnel: knowledge about endometriosis at baseline and after 3 months. For patient questionnaire: whether adequate, understandable, acceptable, and feasible.

Standard statistical methods were used for descriptive statistics. Continuous variables were analysed by independent-samples t-test and categorical variables or frequencies by Pearson chi-square test.

Setting: Three rural Primary care centres in Sweden

Population: Primary care centre staff, and women aged between 18-65 in primary care waiting rooms.

Intervention/Instrument: A brief educational lecture to staff members.

Questionnaire about common symptoms and feasibility of the questionnaire itself.

Outcome measure: Questionnaire for staff members at baseline and after 3 months.

Patient questionnaire and patients’ perceptions of patient questionnaire at baseline.

Results: Staff members at baseline (n=43) and staff members at 3 months (n=55). Further, female patients (n=106) aged 13-58 in the primary care centre waiting room. The knowledge level of endometriosis was improved or sustained after 3 months compared to baseline among staff at PCCs. Over 90% of the patients stated that the questionnaire was adequate, understandable, acceptable, and feasible.

Conclusion: We found that an educational programme improved the staff’s knowledge about endometriosis. The programme together with the patient questionnaire could be a way to enhance knowledge about endometriosis among PCCs. This combined effort might facilitate earlier detection and treatment of women with endometriosis.