The double‐edged experience of healthcare encounters among women with endometriosis: A qualitative study

Hanna Grundström, Siw Alehagen, Preben Kjølhede, Carina Berterö
Journal of clinical nursing · 2017 · vol. 27(1-2) , pp. 205–211 · doi:10.1111/jocn.13872 · PMID:28493635 · W2612353927
article OA: green CC0 ⤵ 57 in-corpus citations
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-08 ⓘ

This qualitative study found that women with endometriosis experience healthcare encounters as both destructive, due to ignorance and disbelief, and constructive, leading to feelings of acknowledgment and self-esteem.

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Abstract

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To identify and describe the experience of healthcare encounters among women with endometriosis. BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is a "hidden" chronic gynaecological disease appearing in every 10th woman of fertile age. Different manifestations of pain are the main symptoms, often leading to impaired physical and mental health, and lower quality of life. Previous research on healthcare experiences among women with endometriosis has focused on diagnostic delay and experiences of encountering general practitioners. DESIGN: A qualitative, interpretive, phenomenological approach was used. METHODS: We interviewed nine women aged 23-55, with a laparoscopy-confirmed diagnosis of endometriosis. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were analysed following the steps of the interpretive phenomenological approach. RESULTS: Two themes were identified in the interview transcripts: being treated with ignorance and being acknowledged. The essence: "the double-edged experience of healthcare encounters" emerged from the themes. The women's experience was double-edged as it involved contradictory feelings: the encounters were experienced as both destructive or constructive. On the one hand, the destructive side was characterised by ignorance, exposure and disbelief. On the other hand, the constructive side made the women feel acknowledged and confirmed, boosting their self-esteem. CONCLUSIONS: The new and important aspects of the findings are that the experience of healthcare encounters is for the first time expressed as double-edged: both destructive and constructive. The experience was of specific importance as it affected the women's perceptions of themselves and of their bodies. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The information about the constructive side of the experience is of clinical valuable for all healthcare professionals (nurses, midwives and doctors) encountering these women, as it provides a new level of understanding of the experiences. The findings demonstrate both psychological and practical aspects that can help professionals to improve the encounters.
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Condition tags

mesh:D004715endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Endometriosis Professional-Patient Relations Quality of Life Adult Attitude of Health Personnel Chronic Disease Chronic Disease Chronic Disease Endometriosis Female Humans Interviews as Topic Middle Aged Pain Pain Pregnancy Qualitative Research Young Adult

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

References (30)

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License: CC0 · commercial use OK