Women's Knowledge and Health Care-Seeking Behavior Regarding Pelvic Organ Prolapse in the West Bank, Palestine in maternaity and obstatric of Nursing.

BACKGROUND

Pelvic organ prolapse is a prevalent condition affecting women of various ages; however, many remain unaware of this health issue and its potential complications. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, prevalence of reported POP symptoms, and healthcare-seeking behaviour among women in the West Bank.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered online questionnaire with a convenience sample of 317 women ages are 18 and older. Data were collected online via social media after contacting participants by phone and distributing a Google Form questionnaire. Data were analysed by using SPSS; Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were also utilized.

RESULTS

Approximately 208 (65.6%) of the participants exhibited a low level of knowledge regarding Pelvic Organ Prolapse. The prevalence of reported pelvic organ prolapse symptoms was 182 (57.4%). Notably, 151 (82.9%) of the women who reported symptoms did not seek health care accordingly. Factors such as body mass index, residency, stress incontinence, chronic constipation, irregular menstruation, and menopause showed significant associations with the prevalence of reported symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse.

CONCLUSION

Lower knowledge levels among Palestinian women were significantly associated with increased reports of POP symptoms, which correlated with limited health care-seeking behaviour. This issue is further complicated by cultural barriers to accessing care, political instability, limited availability of healthcare services, and varying levels of awareness among women.

IMPLICATIONS: The findings highlight an urgent need for collaboration among healthcare providers, policymakers, and community representatives to address cultural barriers and ultimately improve access to healthcare by designing culturally sensitive health promotion campaigns targeting women aged 30 and above.