Introduction: Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a significant issue, and approximately 14% of women experience CPP once in their lifetime. While interdisciplinary pain management is considered the gold standard of treatment, few programs offer this type of treatment in Canada. The aims of this paper were to: 1) describe the development of an interdisciplinary CPP program; and 2) demonstrate changes in patient-related outcomes after attending an interdisciplinary CPP program. Methods: Referrals were received from community urologists and obstetricians/gynecologists, and pain physicians at the Michael G. DeGroote Pain Clinic. Patients attended an orientation session, completed an interdisciplinary assessment, and if appropriate attended an eight-day interdisciplinary CPP program. Each day consisted of group-based pelvic floor physiotherapy, psycho-education, goal-setting, cognitive behavioral therapy, and mindfulness. Psychometric questionnaires were completed pre- and post-program by patients, and paired sample t-tests were used to evaluate the changes in patient-related outcomes after attending the program. Results: Thirty-seven female patients completed the program, and results demonstrate that the CPP program was associated with significant improvements in impact of pelvic pain on quality of life, readiness for change, and pain-related self-efficacy, as well as decreases in pain catastrophizing and fear of pain/re-injury. Conclusions: CPP is a complex condition that requires interdisciplinary management and care. The results of this study demonstrate the short-term benefits of an interdisciplinary CPP program and highlight the unique needs of women with CPP and implicate multiple factors for programming and treatment.

The psychosocial management program targets and significantly reduces several empirically supported psychosocial risk factors associated with poorer CP/CPPS outcomes. Psychosocial management for CP/CPPS is feasible, but requires a randomized controlled trial with longitudinal follow-up.

Background: One in five Canadians experience chronic pain, and interdisciplinary pain programs are well established as the gold standard of treatment. However, not all patients are ready to engage in interdisciplinary treatment for chronic pain. Aims: The aims of this study were to (1) first demonstrate changes in patient-related outcomes after attending a publicly funded 8-week interdisciplinary pain program and (2) evaluate painrelated predictors of readiness for change. Methods: The institution's research ethics board approved this study. One hundred twentynine patients completed questionnaires on the first and last day of attending the program. Paired sample t-tests were utilized to evaluate the changes in patient-related outcomes after attending the program, and linear regressions were utilized to evaluate pain-related predictors of the stages of change. Results: Postprogram, there were significant decreases in pain-related interference, fear of pain/re-injury, pain catastrophizing, and symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety and a significant increase in wellness-focused coping and self-efficacy. Postprogram, patients also demonstrated lower scores in precontemplation and contemplation and higher scores in action and maintenance stages of readiness for change. In predicting precontemplation, fear of pain/re-injury was the sole predictor, and self-efficacy was the sole predictor of the contemplation, action, and maintenance stages. Conclusion: These results demonstrate the short-term benefits of an 8-week interdisciplinary pain program. It is suggested that preprogram interventions targeting kinesophobia for individuals who are precontemplative and self-efficacy for others may be important to facilitate patient engagement. RÉSUMÉContexte: Un Canadien sur cinq souffre de douleur chronique. Il est bien établi que les programmes interdisciplinaires de la douleur constituent le traitement de référence. Toutefois, ce ne sont pas tous les patients qui sont prêts à suivre un traitement interdisciplinaire pour la douleur chronique. Buts: Les buts de cette étude étaient : 1) démontrer les changements dans les résultats liés aux patients après que ces derniers aient participé à un programme interdisciplinaire de la douleur de huit semaines, financé par des fonds publics, et 2) évaluer les prédicteurs de la disposition au changement lié à la douleur. Méthodes: La commission d'éthique de la recherche de l'institution a approuvé cette étude. Cent vingt-neuf patients ont répondu à des questionnaires le premier et le dernier jour de leur participation au programme. Des tests T pour échantillons appariés ont été utilisés pour évaluer les changements dans les résultats liés aux patients après avoir participé au programme et des régressions linéaires ont été utilisées pour évaluer les prédicteurs des étapes du changement lié à la douleur. Résultats: Après le programme, des diminutions significatives ont été observées dans l'interférence liée à la douleur, la peur de la douleur ou d'une nouvelle blessure, la catastrophisat...