The Utility and Impact of the Painful Periods Screening Tool (PPST) to Improve Healthcare Delivery for People with Symptoms of Pelvic Pain

The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility and impact of the Painful Periods Screening Tool (PPST) to improve healthcare delivery for people with symptoms of pelvic pain. The design of this study was a survey study. After IRB approval, patients aged 18–55 years with self-reported pelvic, abdominal, or lower back pain before, during, or after menstrual periods were invited to participate in the study from September 2020 to June 2021. Participants filled out the PPST questionnaire on the day of their Johns Hopkins clinic visit and the follow-up questionnaire 1–14 days after the clinic visit. Demographics and duration of pain were assessed, and participants who completed the PPST questionnaire were sent a follow-up questionnaire to assess utility and impact of PPST. Of the 1352 patients who met study eligibility, 1000 participants responded to both questionnaires. Most subjects (82.9%; 95% CI: 80.4–85.2%) reported having severe pelvic/abdominal or lower back pain during menses. Nine hundred fifteen participants (91.5%; 95% CI: 89.6–93.2%) reported that if given regularly, the PPST would help women discuss their pain symptoms with their healthcare provider. Six hundred seventy-eight participants (67.8%; 95% CI: 64.8–70.7%) reported that the PPST helped them initiate a conversation about their symptoms. Seven hundred seven participants (70.7%; 95% CI: 67.8–73.5%) were more comfortable discussing symptoms of pelvic pain with their provider after filling out the PPST. These findings support the utility of PPST as an endometriosis screening tool and suggest that this tool facilitated communication between patients and providers about pain symptoms.