Knowledge and awareness of pelvic floor dysfunction among female medical students: A multicenter cross‐sectional study

OBJECTIVE: Given its high prevalence and risk for delayed recognition and management, this study compared knowledge and awareness of pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) between first- and fifth-year female medical students and examined whether knowledge translates into health-protective behavior. METHODS: This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in nine medical faculties in Turkiye. Face-to-face self-administered questionnares collected sociodemographic data, self-reported awareness of urinary incontinence (UI) and pelvic organ prolapsus (POP) (yes/no), knowledge sources, and Prolapse and Incontinence Knowledge Questionnaire scores. Participants were also asked about UI symptoms, care-seeking behavior, Kegel exercise instruction, and willingness to perform if instructed. RESULTS: Among 1148 female students (n = 563 first year, n = 585 fifth year), awareness of UI and POP increased from 41.9% and 25% in first-year to 97.9% and 96.1% in fifth-year students, respectively. Knowledge scores were significantly higher in fifth-year students (UI: 11.37 ± 1.08 vs. 8.57 ± 2.85; POP: 10.16 ± 1.08 vs. 6.23 ± 3.03; p < 0.001). POP knowledge scores were lower than UI scores in both groups. UI symptoms were reported by 5.6% of participants, of whom 67.2% had not sought medical care. Among students with UI, 49.4% were unwilling to perform Kegel exercises, despite having received relevant instruction. A weak but statistically significant correlation was observed between receiving Kegel training and exercise willingness (r = 0.172, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Medical education substantially improves knowledge and awareness of PFD; however, knowledge of POP consistently lags behind that of UI, and theoretical knowledge does not reliably translate into health-protective behavior.