University of Alberta, Edmonton

Research Spotlight


Featured Publications

Lina Roa, Sarah Kent , Maryna Yaskina , Jane Schulz , Annick Poirier. Knowledge of pelvic floor disorders amongst immigrant women in Canada. International Urogynecology Journal. 2021 Nov;32(11):3077-3084 

Lina Roa and team assessed the knowledge of Pelvic Floor Disorders (PFDs) amongst women in Edmonton, hypothesizing that immigrant women are less knowledgeable about PFDs than Canadian-born women. Studies have shown that women with less knowledge of PFDs are less likely to seek care for these conditions. Researchers conducted a cross-sectional study of 106 immigrant and 102 Canadian-born women using the Prolapse and Incontinence Knowledge Questionnaire (PIKQ). The team found a significant difference between immigrant women and Canadian-born counterparts in Edmonton (12.7 versus 14.4, p = 0.04). Immigrant women have lower proficiency levels in their knowledge of symptoms, risk factors, and treatments for UI and POP. Importantly, this lack of knowledge has been associated with their passive health-seeking behavior. Congratulations to Dr. Roa and the team for highlighting the importance and need for designing interventions to educate immigrant women with PFDs to seek care for treatable conditions that will significantly enhance their quality of life and for publishing their work in International Urogynecology Journal.

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Research Highlights

  • An Assessment of Women’s Experiences of Virtual Care Delivery during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives from the Urogynecology Wellness Program. This project has been funded by the Women and Children’s Health Research Institute. The resident working on the project was awarded with a Resident grant; the medical student working in the project has received summer scholarships in 2021, and 2022.
  • Prophylactic Antibiotics During Treatment of Idiopathic Overactive Bladder with Intradetrusor Onabotulinumtoxin A for the Reduction of Postoperative UTI: A Randomized Blinded Placebo-controlled Trial. This clinical trial has been funded by the Women and Children’s Health Research Institute. Study participants are currently being recruited. Although recruitment was delayed due to COVID-19, the investigators are back on track to complete the recruitment.
  • Sarah Conrad is a second-year master’s student in the Rehabilitation Medicine (Physical Therapy) program whose research focuses on measurement tools based on patient experience in non-surgical environment to diagnose pelvic organ prolapse. She is a 3MT 2022 finalist. - VIEW PRESENTATION

2021-2022 Publication List

Wang R, Kaarid KP, Sanaee M. Barriers to Surgical Innovation Research: A Canadian Study on Public Funding Trends. Surg Innov. 2022 Apr 15. DOI: 10.1177/15533506221085469

Johnson GE, Kan L, Nguyen J, Campbell K, Ralph L, Koenig N, Sanaee M, Maher C, Cundiff GW. Development of patient-centered outcomes for labour and birth: a qualitative study. Clin Exp Obstet Gynecol. 2022; 49(1): 021.

Harvey MA, Lemieux M, Robert M, Schulz JA. Guideline No. 114: Vaginal Pessary Use. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canado. 2021;43(2):255-266.

Gyhagen M, Engh ME, Husslein H, Koelbl H, Nilsson IEK, Schulz J, Wagg A, Milsom I. Temporal trends in obstetric anal sphincter injury from the first vaginal delivery in Austria, Canada, Norway, and Sweden. Acta Obstetrica et Gynecologica Scandinavica. 2021;100(11):1969-1976.

Roa L, Kent S, Yaskina M, Schulz J, Poirier A. Knowledge of pelvic floor disorders amongst immigrant women in Canada. International Urogynecology Journal. 2021;32:3077-3084.

Manz J, Hyakutake M, Kelly E. Calling for Openness to the Study of Cannabis Use in Chronic Pelvic Pain. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada. 2021 May;43(5):611-613.

Chaikof M, McDermott CD, Brennand E, Sanaee M. Patients Seeking “Vaginoplasty” Deserve Assessment and Treatment by Experts in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. Aesthetic Surgery Journal. 2021;41(4):NP148-NP149.