u/VaginismusResearch

Researchers at Western Sydney University are seeking people who experience recurrent pain with vaginal sex to complete an anonymous online survey. Your survey responses will help to evaluate a new healthcare resource, called the VG-PAIN, developed for clinician use.

The VG-PAIN aims to reduce misdiagnosis, support inclusive assessment, and improve holistic person-centred care beyond beyond penis-in-vagina sex to consider patients' gender, sexual, cultural and age diversity.

✅ This study has received ethics approval from Western Sydney University (Approval No. H15587). Participation is entirely voluntary and anonymous.

To be eligible to complete the anonymous online survey, people must not have previously participated, live in Australia, be aged 18 years or older, and experience recurrent pain with vaginal sex (caused by any diagnosed or undiagnosed condition including vaginismus, endometriosis, adenomyosis, vulvodynia, etc.).

🙏 The VG-PAIN resource has already undergone extensive review by multidisciplinary clinicians across Australia. However, more participant feedback is needed to ensure that the tool remains centred on patients’ perspectives and goals.

To learn more or participate, please use this survey link: https://surveyswesternsydney.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3t9lekMYh9RxhsO

No problem at all if you do not wish to participate. Either way, thank you for your consideration to participate in this online survey to support the development of more inclusive healthcare resources 😊

If you have any questions or comments, please contact me, the lead researcher Rashmi Pithavadian, at r.pithavadian3@westernsydney.edu.au or comment on this post.

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For anyone interested in the previous published work that informed development of the new clinician tool, you can use the links below for free access.

1. Pithavadian, R., Ramanathan, V., Micheal, S., & Dune, T. (2026). Health professionals’ approaches to support patient diversity in the assessment of vaginismus: A critical feminist qualitative study for inclusive care. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14101261
2. Pithavadian, R., Dune, T. & Chalmers, J. (2024). Patients’ recommendations to improve help-seeking for vaginismus: A qualitative study. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-024-03026-x
3. Pithavadian, R., Dune, T., Chalmers, J., & Ramanathan, V. (2024). The interrelationship between women’s help-seeking experiences for vaginismus and their sense of self: A qualitative study and abductive analysis. https://doi.org/10.1080/21642850.2024.2396134
4. Pithavadian R., Chalmers J., Ramanathan V. & Dune T., (2024). People discuss the men who can’t get it up, but what about the women who can’t get it in? Women’s help-seeking experiences for sexual pain-penetration disorder. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmqr.2024.100480
5. Pithavadian, R., Chalmers, J., & Dune, T. (2023). The experiences of women seeking help for vaginismus and its impact on their sense of self: An integrative review. https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057231199383

Researchers at Western Sydney University are seeking people who experience vaginismus, endometriosis, adenomyosis or any condition that causes recurrent painful vaginal sex to complete an anonymous online survey. Your survey responses will help to evaluate a new healthcare resource, called the VG-PAIN, developed for clinician use.

The VG-PAIN aims to reduce misdiagnosis, support inclusive assessment, and improve holistic person-centred care beyond beyond penis-in-vagina sex to consider patients' gender, sexual, cultural and age diversity.

✅ This study has received ethics approval from Western Sydney University (Approval No. H15587). Participation is entirely voluntary and anonymous.

To be eligible to complete the anonymous online survey, people must not have previously participated, live in Australia, be aged 18 years or older, and experience recurrent pain with vaginal sex (caused by any diagnosed or undiagnosed condition including vaginismus, endometriosis, adenomyosis, vulvodynia, etc.).

🙏 The VG-PAIN resource has already undergone extensive review by multidisciplinary clinicians across Australia. So, thank you very much for the moderators' approval because I am reposting a final time as more participant feedback is needed to ensure that the tool remains centred on patients’ perspectives and goals.

To learn more or participate, please use this link: https://surveyswesternsydney.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cuWSk2zhabY6CMK

No problem at all if you do not wish to participate. Either way, thank you for your consideration to participate in this online survey to support the development of more inclusive healthcare resources 😊

If you have any questions or comments, please contact me, the lead researcher Rashmi Pithavadian, at r.pithavadian3@westernsydney.edu.au or comment on this post.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
For anyone interested in the previous published work that informed development of the new clinician tool, you can use the links below for free access.

1. Pithavadian, R., Ramanathan, V., Micheal, S., & Dune, T. (2026). Health professionals’ approaches to support patient diversity in the assessment of vaginismus: A critical feminist qualitative study for inclusive care. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14101261
2. Pithavadian, R., Dune, T. & Chalmers, J. (2024). Patients’ recommendations to improve help-seeking for vaginismus: A qualitative study. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-024-03026-x
3. Pithavadian, R., Dune, T., Chalmers, J., & Ramanathan, V. (2024). The interrelationship between women’s help-seeking experiences for vaginismus and their sense of self: A qualitative study and abductive analysis. https://doi.org/10.1080/21642850.2024.2396134
4. Pithavadian R., Chalmers J., Ramanathan V. & Dune T., (2024). People discuss the men who can’t get it up, but what about the women who can’t get it in? Women’s help-seeking experiences for sexual pain-penetration disorder. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmqr.2024.100480
5. Pithavadian, R., Chalmers, J., & Dune, T. (2023). The experiences of women seeking help for vaginismus and its impact on their sense of self: An integrative review. https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057231199383

Researchers at Western Sydney University are seeking people who experience vaginismus or any type of recurrent painful vaginal sex to complete an anonymous online survey. Your survey responses will help to evaluate a new healthcare resource, called the VG-PAIN, developed for clinician use.

The VG-PAIN aims to reduce misdiagnosis, support inclusive assessment, and improve holistic person-centred care beyond centring PIV sex to consider patients' gender, sexual, cultural and age diversity.

✅ This study has received ethics approval from Western Sydney University (Approval No. H15587). Participation is entirely voluntary and anonymous.

To be eligible to complete the anonymous online survey, people must live in Australia, be aged 18 years or older, and experience recurrent pain with vaginal sex (caused by any diagnosed or undiagnosed condition including vaginismus, hypertonic pelvic floor, endometriosis, adenomyosis, vulvodynia, etc.).

🙏 The VG-PAIN resource has already undergone extensive review by multidisciplinary clinicians across Australia. So, thank you very much for the moderators' approval because I am reposting this as more participant feedback is needed to ensure that the tool remains centred on patients’ perspectives and goals.

To learn more or participate, please click this link: https://surveyswesternsydney.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cuWSk2zhabY6CMK

No problem at all if you do not wish to participate. Either way, thank you for your consideration to participate in this online survey to support the development of more inclusive healthcare resources 😊

If you have any questions or comments, please contact me, the lead researcher Rashmi Pithavadian, at r.pithavadian3@westernsydney.edu.au or comment on this post.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
For anyone interested in the previous published work that informed development of the new clinician tool, you can use the links below for free access.

1. Pithavadian, R., Ramanathan, V., Micheal, S., & Dune, T. (2026). Health professionals’ approaches to support patient diversity in the assessment of vaginismus: A critical feminist qualitative study for inclusive care. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14101261
2. Pithavadian, R., Dune, T. & Chalmers, J. (2024). Patients’ recommendations to improve help-seeking for vaginismus: A qualitative study. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-024-03026-x
3. Pithavadian, R., Dune, T., Chalmers, J., & Ramanathan, V. (2024). The interrelationship between women’s help-seeking experiences for vaginismus and their sense of self: A qualitative study and abductive analysis. https://doi.org/10.1080/21642850.2024.2396134
4. Pithavadian R., Chalmers J., Ramanathan V. & Dune T., (2024). People discuss the men who can’t get it up, but what about the women who can’t get it in? Women’s help-seeking experiences for sexual pain-penetration disorder. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmqr.2024.100480
5. Pithavadian, R., Chalmers, J., & Dune, T. (2023). The experiences of women seeking help for vaginismus and its impact on their sense of self: An integrative review. https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057231199383

Researchers at Western Sydney University are seeking people who experience vulvodynia, vaginismus, or any type of recurrent painful vaginal sex to complete an anonymous online survey. Your survey responses will help to evaluate a new healthcare resource, called the VG-PAIN, developed for clinician use.

The VG-PAIN aims to reduce misdiagnosis, support inclusive assessment, and improve holistic person-centred care beyond centring PIV sex to consider patients' gender, sexual, cultural and age diversity.

✅ This study has received ethics approval from Western Sydney University (Approval No. H15587). Participation is entirely voluntary and anonymous.

To be eligible to complete the anonymous online survey, people must live in Australia, be aged 18 years or older, and experience recurrent pain with vaginal sex (caused by any diagnosed or undiagnosed condition including vaginismus, endometriosis, adenomyosis, vulvodynia, etc.).

🙏 The VG-PAIN resource has already undergone extensive review by multidisciplinary clinicians across Australia. So, thank you very much for the moderators' approval because I am reposting this as more participant feedback is needed to ensure that the tool remains centred on patients’ perspectives and goals.

To learn more or participate, please use this link: https://surveyswesternsydney.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cuWSk2zhabY6CMK

No problem at all if you do not wish to participate. Either way, thank you for your consideration to participate in this online survey to support the development of more inclusive healthcare resources 😊

If you have any questions or comments, please contact me, the lead researcher Rashmi Pithavadian, at r.pithavadian3@westernsydney.edu.au or comment on this post.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
For anyone interested in the previous published work that informed development of the new clinician tool, you can use the links below for free access.

1. Pithavadian, R., Ramanathan, V., Micheal, S., & Dune, T. (2026). Health professionals’ approaches to support patient diversity in the assessment of vaginismus: A critical feminist qualitative study for inclusive care. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14101261
2. Pithavadian, R., Dune, T. & Chalmers, J. (2024). Patients’ recommendations to improve help-seeking for vaginismus: A qualitative study. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-024-03026-x
3. Pithavadian, R., Dune, T., Chalmers, J., & Ramanathan, V. (2024). The interrelationship between women’s help-seeking experiences for vaginismus and their sense of self: A qualitative study and abductive analysis. https://doi.org/10.1080/21642850.2024.2396134
4. Pithavadian R., Chalmers J., Ramanathan V. & Dune T., (2024). People discuss the men who can’t get it up, but what about the women who can’t get it in? Women’s help-seeking experiences for sexual pain-penetration disorder. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmqr.2024.100480
5. Pithavadian, R., Chalmers, J., & Dune, T. (2023). The experiences of women seeking help for vaginismus and its impact on their sense of self: An integrative review. https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057231199383

I was delighted to see a recent post on r/vaginismus summarising my 2026 published study on how clinicians can assume patients with vaginismus are heterosexual, cisgendered, young, and want penis-in-vagina (PIV) sex.

The findings from the 2026 study informed the development of a new healthcare resource. This new healthcare resource is designed to be a tool for clinicians to inclusively understand and support patients’ diversities, of sexuality, gender, ethnicity, culture, age, and disability, in healthcare management for vaginismus. The healthcare resource aims to move clinicians away from the assumption of penis-in-vagina sex as the default treatment goal to allow patients to define their healthcare goals, while trying to improve misdiagnosis of vaginismus.

This new healthcare resource has undergone extensive review by clinicians. To ensure that it remains patient-centred, I am now seeking 200+ people in Australia who have experienced vaginismus to complete an anonymous online survey to help evaluate and improve this new healthcare resource.

To be eligible to complete the online survey, participants must live in Australia, be aged 18 years or older, and experience recurrent pain with vaginal sex (caused by any diagnosed or suspected condition including vaginismus, vulvodynia, endometriosis, etc.).

The study has received ethics approval from Western Sydney University. Participation is entirely voluntary and anonymous.

To learn more or participate, please click the link below to read the Participant Information Sheet with the full details on ethics approval, funding for participation, and anonymous data collection.

https://surveyswesternsydney.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cuWSk2zhabY6CMK

Please contact me, the lead researcher Rashmi Pithavadian, at r.pithavadian3@westernsydney.edu.au or comment on this post with any questions.

Thank you for your consideration to participate in this online survey to support the development of more inclusive healthcare resources for vaginismus.

And thank you very much moderators for kindly approving this post - which has also been validated with this subreddit referenced on my professional website page: https://www.rashmipithavadian.com/about

Researchers at Western Sydney University are seeking people who experience recurrent pain with vaginal sex to complete an anonymous online survey to help evaluate a new healthcare resource developed for clinician use. This resource has already undergone extensive clinician review and aims to improve holistic assessment, reduce misdiagnosis, and support whole-person centred care.

To be eligible to complete the online survey, people must live in Australia, be aged 18 years or older, and experience recurrent pain with vaginal sex (caused by any diagnosed or suspected condition including vaginismus, vestibulodynia, endometriosis, etc.).

The study has received ethics approval from Western Sydney University. Participation is entirely voluntary and anonymous.

To learn more or participate, please click the link below to read the Participant Information Sheet with full details on ethics approval, funding, and anonymous data collection.

https://surveyswesternsydney.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cuWSk2zhabY6CMK

Please contact lead researcher Rashmi Pithavadian at r.pithavadian3@westernsydney.edu.au for any questions.

Thank you for your consideration to participate in this online survey to support the development of more inclusive healthcare resources for genito-pelvic pain conditions.

Researchers at Western Sydney University are seeking people who experience any type of recurrent painful vaginal sex to complete an anonymous online survey to help evaluate a new healthcare resource developed for clinician use. This resource aims to improve assessment, reduce misdiagnosis, and support whole-person centred care.

To be eligible to complete the online survey, people must live in Australia, be aged 18 years or older, and experience recurrent pain with vaginal sex (caused by any diagnosed or undiagnosed condition including hypertonic pelvic floor, vaginismus, endometriosis, adenomyosis, vulvodynia, etc.).

The study has received ethics approval from Western Sydney University (HREC Approval Number: H15587). Participation is entirely voluntary and anonymous.

To learn more or participate, please click the link below to read the Participant Information Sheet with full details including ethics approval, funding, anonymous data collection.

https://surveyswesternsydney.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cuWSk2zhabY6CMK

Please contact lead researcher Rashmi Pithavadian at r.pithavadian3@westernsydney.edu.au or comment on this post with any questions.

Given the challenges of conducting research on sensitive health issues, thank you for considering participation in this online survey and helping advance more inclusive healthcare resources for clinicians to better support people with genito-pelvic pain conditions.

And thank you very much moderators for kindly approving this post.

Researchers at Western Sydney University are seeking people who experience any type of recurrent painful vaginal sex to complete an anonymous online survey to help evaluate a new healthcare resource developed for clinician use. This resource aims to improve assessment, reduce misdiagnosis, and support whole-person centred care.

To be eligible, people must live in Australia, be aged 18 years or older, and experience recurrent pain with vaginal sex (caused by any diagnosed or undiagnosed condition including vaginismus, endometriosis, adenomyosis, vulvodynia, etc.).

The study has received ethics approval from Western Sydney University. Participation is entirely voluntary and anonymous.

To learn more or participate, please click the link below to read the Participant Information Sheet with full details including ethics approval, funding, and anonymous data collection.

https://surveyswesternsydney.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cuWSk2zhabY6CMK

Please contact lead researcher Rashmi Pithavadian at r.pithavadian3@westernsydney.edu.au or comment on this post with any questions.

Given the challenges of conducting research on sensitive health issues, thank you for considering participation in this online survey and helping advance more inclusive healthcare resources for clinicians to better support people with genito-pelvic pain conditions.

And thank you very much to the moderators for kindly approving this post.

Researchers at Western Sydney University are seeking people who experience any type of recurrent painful vaginal sex to complete an anonymous online survey to help evaluate a new healthcare resource developed for clinician use. This resource aims to improve assessment, reduce misdiagnosis, and support whole-person centred care.

To be eligible, people must live in Australia, be aged 18 years or older, and experience recurrent pain with vaginal sex (caused by any diagnosed or undiagnosed condition including vaginismus, endometriosis, adenomyosis, vulvodynia, etc.).

The study has received ethics approval from Western Sydney University. Participation is entirely voluntary and anonymous.

To learn more or participate, please click the link below to read the Participant Information Sheet with full details including ethics approval, funding, and anonymous data collection.

https://surveyswesternsydney.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cuWSk2zhabY6CMK

Please contact lead researcher Rashmi Pithavadian at r.pithavadian3@westernsydney.edu.au or comment on this post with any questions.

Given the challenges of conducting research on sensitive health issues, thank you for considering participation in this online survey and helping advance more inclusive healthcare resources for clinicians to better support people with genito-pelvic pain conditions.

And thank you very much to the moderators for kindly approving this post.

Researchers at Western Sydney University are seeking people who experience any type of recurrent painful vaginal sex to complete an anonymous online survey to help evaluate a new healthcare resource developed for clinician use. This resource aims to improve assessment, reduce misdiagnosis, and support whole-person centred care.

To be eligible, people must live in Australia, be aged 18 years or older, and experience recurrent pain with vaginal sex (caused by any diagnosed or undiagnosed condition including vaginismus, adenomyosis, endometriosis, vulvodynia, etc.).

The study has received ethics approval from Western Sydney University. Participation is entirely voluntary and anonymous.

To learn more or participate, please click the link below to read the Participant Information Sheet with full details including anonymous data collection and funding.

https://surveyswesternsydney.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cuWSk2zhabY6CMK

Please contact lead researcher Rashmi Pithavadian at r.pithavadian3@westernsydney.edu.au for any questions.

Given the challenges of conducting research on sensitive health issues, thank you for considering participation in this online survey and helping advance more inclusive healthcare resources for clinicians to better support people with genito-pelvic pain conditions.

And thank you very much moderators for kindly approving this post.

Researchers at Western Sydney University are seeking people who experience vulvodynia, vaginismus or any type of recurrent painful vaginal sex to complete an anonymous online survey to help evaluate a new healthcare resource developed for clinician use. This resource aims to improve assessment, reduce misdiagnosis, and support whole-person centred care.

To be eligible, people must live in Australia, be aged 18 years or older, and experience recurrent pain with vaginal sex (caused by any diagnosed or undiagnosed condition including vulvodynia, vaginismus, endometriosis, adenomyosis, etc.).

The study has received ethics approval from Western Sydney University. Participation is entirely voluntary and anonymous.

To learn more or participate, please click the link below to read the Participant Information Sheet with full details including affiliation with Western Sydney University, funding sponsorship, and anonymous data collection.

https://surveyswesternsydney.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cuWSk2zhabY6CMK

Please contact lead researcher Rashmi Pithavadian at r.pithavadian3@westernsydney.edu.au for any questions.

Given the challenges of conducting research on sensitive health issues, thank you for considering participation in this online survey and helping advance more inclusive healthcare resources for clinicians to better support people with genito-pelvic pain conditions.

And thank you very much moderators for kindly approving this post.