Purpose: This study examines pelvic health physical therapy provider perceptions and practice patterns of chaperone use for vaginal examination and treatment. Methods: Quantitative and qualitative survey results from 414 pelvic health physical therapists working in varied practice settings across the US from March 15, 2024, to April 15, 2024, are presented. An online survey was distributed via the Academy of Pelvic Health Physical Therapy to investigate current practice patterns of chaperone use, barriers to use, and provider perceptions of chaperone presence during vaginal examinations and treatment in pelvic physical therapy. Results: Survey results show 55.6% of respondents reported having a chaperone policy in place, while 44.4% respondents replied not having a chaperone policy in place. Of those with a chaperone policy, 55.6% reported an opt-in policy, 16.4% reported an opt-out policy, 6.3% reported a mandatory policy, and 20.8% reported “other.” Reported factors impacting chaperone use from most to least common include patient preference, resources, clinician preference, litigation risk, and institution determination. Conclusion: Almost half of the respondents reported having no chaperone policy in place at their institutions, despite recommendations by US-based associations representing providers who perform sensitive exams. Results from this study indicate that an opt-in chaperone policy is the most frequently implemented and preferred policy by providers for internal vaginal examination and treatment in pelvic physical therapy.
Austin et al. (Thu,) studied this question.