Schmitz, Johanna R., authorSchmid, Arlene A., advisorAtler, Karen E., committee memberFruhauf, Christine A., committee member2022-01-072024-01-062021https://hdl.handle.net/10217/234146Introduction: Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) is a condition that affects one third of women, greatly impacting their quality of life (QoL). There is limited research on occupational therapy (OT) and pelvic floor health as pelvic floor therapy is a relatively new topic in the field of OT. Objectives: Explore the experiences of women who have received OT for PFD. Method: Eligibility criteria included: ≥18 years old; biologically female participants; self-reported pelvic floor health issue; English speaking; completed OT intervention for PFD within the past two years. Four participants completed a semi-structured interview about their treatment and qualitative analyses were completed using inductive coding techniques. Participants' electronic medical records were reviewed. The Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory Questionnaire-20 (PFDI-20) was completed to assess changes in PFD symptoms and impact on QoL. Results: Qualitatively, three main themes emerged from the data across participants: 1) OT changed the course of women's ongoing journey with pelvic health, 2) women experienced relief through discovering OT, and 3) OT empowered women to be the experts of their own bodies. There were clinically significant changes in participants PFDI-20 scores indicating a decrease in PFD symptoms and impact of PFD symptoms on QOL following OT intervention. Conclusion: In conclusion, it appears that OT interventions may play an important role in positively impacting women's life with PFD. More research is needed to investigate the mechanisms of what makes OT interventions effective in treating PFD.born digitalmasters thesesengCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.pelvic floor dysfunctionPFDwomenpelvic floor therapytreatmentoccupational therapyOTText