Endometriosis and cultural diversity: the experience of minority ethnic women.

‘Endometriosis and cultural diversity’ (the Endocul project) explored the experience of women from minority ethnic groups living \nwith endometriosis and their needs for culturally specific information and support. The study focused on five minority ethnic \ngroups: African Caribbean, Chinese, Greek/Greek Cypriot, Indian and Pakistani. \nThe project aimed to develop, in collaboration with community groups and patients, evidence based and culturally sensitive \nresources for women with endometriosis from these communities and for the health professionals providing services to them. \nIn order to meet this aim primary research was first conducted with women from community groups, women with endometriosis \nfrom the target communities, and health professionals \nThis paper is concerned with individual interviews with minority ethnic women with endometriosis. Semi-structured interviews \nwere conducted with women from each community (n=29) which focused on the meaning of endometriosis in their lives, their \nexperience of health service provision, and their information needs. \nThe women studied had many similar experiences and concerns to other women previously reported in the literature (e.g. \nDenny, 2004; Gilmour and Huntington 2005, Seear, 2009). They also identified cultural factors as having an impact on their \nexperience of endometriosis and of health services. These factors centre on the role of women and the importance of \nreproduction within their communities, and the influence of religious beliefs. \nCultural values can generate unique meanings and experiences of endometriosis. In order to develop culturally sensitive \nresources and services for women these need to be incorporated, whilst resisting essentialising culture as a fixed and bounded \nconcept.