Factors associated with chronic pelvic pain in women with endometriosis: A national study on clinical and sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyles, quality of life, and perceptions of quality of care, during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background: Endometriosis is a persistent inflammatory condition that affects women of reproductive age and causes pelvic pain. Chronic pelvic pain is a chronic regional pain syndrome involving the pelvic area. Objectives: This survey aimed to characterize the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyles, quality of life, and perceptions of quality of care in women with endometriosis who reported chronic pelvic pain during the Covid pandemic. Design: We conducted a cross-sectional survey among the Italian population from July to September 2021. Methods: Snowball sampling was used to interview a large sample of adult women who reported a diagnosis of endometriosis, through a self-reported questionnaire. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with chronic pelvic pain. The primary outcome was describing women who reported chronic pelvic pain. Results: A total of 661 out of 1045 (63%) women who responded to the survey reported chronic pelvic pain. The multivariable analysis evidenced that chronic pelvic pain was related to physical and mental quality perception, pelvic floor disorders (adjusted odds ratio = 1.58; 95% CI = 1.10–2.27; p = 0.012), dyspareunia (adjusted odds ratio = 1.87; 95% CI = 1.31–2.65; p