Chronic pelvic pain: The general practitioner's perspective

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a common problem for women and their general practitioners (GPs). This study investigates GPs' perceptions about the diagnosis, treatment and management of women suffering from chronic pelvic pain. A sample of 145 GPs participated, via telephone interviews; their responses indicated a shared perception of the underlying psychosocial characteristics of this patient group, which affected their referral and management strategies. Their management strategies are consistent when cases have an organic basis, but become very varied in non-organic cases. Many women with non-organic CPP are caught in a cycle of referral and investigation.