Chronic pelvic pain is defined as "pain persisting for at least 6 months, non-cyclical, localized in the pelvis, below the umbilicus, in the anterior abdominal wall, lumbosacral region, or hip, of sufficient severity to cause functional impairment or require medical treatment." The worldwide prevalence of chronic pelvic pain in women ranges from 5.7% to 26.6%. Although uncertainties exist about its etiology, according to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, chronic pelvic pain should be viewed not as a diagnosis in itself but as a symptom.
Patients experiencing chronic pain often encounter disruptions in daily life activities and functional limitations. Daily life activities are divided into basic activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living. Occupational balance is defined as having a sufficient number of occupations according to one's own preferences, the correct variety in the occupational repertoire, maintaining balance, and being satisfied with this situation. Chronic pelvic pain is a complex condition that significantly affects the physical functions, work abilities, performance of daily life activities, and motivation of many women, thereby seriously affecting their quality of life.
Individuals with chronic pelvic pain may resort to coping mechanisms to fulfill their expected roles and responsibilities in daily life. Coping is defined as behavior requiring effort in response to physical, psychological, or emotional stressors. Individuals with chronic illnesses often experience their conditions as stressors and while developing their coping mechanisms for their illnesses, they adopt a wide range of coping strategies to deal with symptoms like pain in order to participate in daily life activities. Coping has various classification systems, with one commonly used classification being the dichotomy of 'active' or 'passive' coping.
It is known that chronic pain has negative effects on individuals' overall condition, leading to social and psychological undesired consequences and reducing individuals' confidence in their own health status. Pain is a significant aspect of the lives of those who complain of chronic pelvic pain. Patients with chronic pelvic pain have been identified. While individuals with chronic pelvic pain experience concerns and fears regarding the pain and its consequences in all aspects of their lives (home, work, social, etc.), areas where they experience the most limitations in their lives are reported to be sleep, household management activities, work-related tasks, and sexual activity. Although it is stated that all dimensions of their quality of life are affected by chronic pain, these individuals exhibit a wide range of responses and coping strategies in this broad spectrum, suggesting that rehabilitation goals, outcomes, and solutions should be individual-centered and occupation-based.
The comprehensive structure of occupational therapy, which examines the functional limitations in individuals' lives with an individual-centered and occupation-based approach, improves participation in life with evaluation, intervention, and follow-up principles in individuals with chronic pain. There are limited studies that examine individuals with chronic pelvic pain from a comprehensive perspective. Most of the studies in the literature have attempted to obtain results using a general measurement tool to assess functional limitations, and therefore have struggled to clearly identify, detail, and specify the limitations, difficulties, obstacles, or strengths related to the daily life participation of women with chronic pelvic pain in an individual-centered and occupation-based manner. More research is needed to identify more effective rehabilitation approaches and to clarify the factors that positively and negatively affect the occupational performance of individuals with pelvic pain.
Based on the results of the studies mentioned above, it is concluded that there is still insufficient evidence regarding the factors affecting the occupational performance and quality of life of women with chronic pelvic pain and the complex relationships between these factors. The aim of our study is to examine the occupational performance, occupational balance, and quality of life of women experiencing chronic pelvic pain from occupational therapy perspective and to analyze the complex relationships between them.

After recording the urological and demographic information of the women with cronic pelvic pain (research group) and the control group (women without chronic pelvic pain) were assessed by Canadian Occupational Performance Measurement (COPM) for occupational participation,  for evaluating daily life activities, Modified Barthel Index for activities of daily living, Lawton-Brody Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) Scale for instrumental activities of daily living, the Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ) for occupational balance and the Pain Coping Inventory for the frequency of active and passive coping methods used when dealing with pain, and the Female Genitourinary Pain Index (FGPI) to measure the impact of pelvic pain and related symptoms on quality of life. The results were analyzed using SPSS 23. Descriptive statistics will be provided as counts and percentages for categorical variables and as means, standard deviations, minimum, and maximum values for numerical variables. The normality of the variables will be examined visually (histograms and probability plots) and analytically (Kolmogorov-Smirnov/Shapiro-Wilk tests). Parametric tests, specifically the Paired Sample T-test, will be used for within-group comparisons of data showing a normal distribution, while non-parametric tests, specifically the Mann Whitney-U test, will be used for within-group comparisons of data not showing a normal distribution or for ordinal data. The relationship between variables X and Y will be examined using Pearson or Spearman correlation analysis.

A total of 60 (study group=30; control group=30) were included. The mean age of the study and the control group were 37 ± 4.3 and 39 ± 3.1 years respectively. Occupational participation, independence in daily living activities, occupational balance and quality of life of study group were significantly lower than the control group. Corralations between pain index and occupational participation, independence in daily living activities, occupational balance and quality of life were found. The women using active coping strategies have higher occupational participation, independence in daily living activities and occupational balance among women with cronic pelvic pain (p<0.05).

The results of the study were corraleted with the limited number of studies in the literature. Comprehansive  studies should be planned.

A comprehensive approach prioritizing occupational performance, using active coping strategies and enhancing the patient's quality of life should be favored in rehabilitation of patients with pelvic pain. Collaboration with an interdisciplinary team including occupational therapists is essential for achieving success and should be actively pursued.