Fletcher Paula C, Schneider Margaret A, Van Ravenswaay Valerie, Leon Zaida
Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Clin Nurse Spec. 2008 Nov-Dec;22(6):278-85. doi: 10.1097/01.NUR.0000325382.99717.ac.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (Crohn disease or ulcerative colitis) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are 2 gastrointestinal (GI) disorders that are chronic, are debilitating, and diminish quality of life and have no known etiology. Persons with IBD and/or IBS share similar signs and symptoms, although IBS does not result in intestinal inflammation/alteration or increase one's risk for colorectal cancer as does IBD. The literature reports different mechanisms by which to cope with a GI disorder; however, few studies have focused on the life experiences/coping abilities from the perspective of those who have a GI disorder. As such, exploring the lived experiences of women diagnosed with IBD and/or IBS would provide information about coping strategies from the perspective of those affected, which in turn would be useful for other individuals affected by these conditions and individuals treating patients with GI disorders.
The overall objective of this research was to explore the lived experiences of women diagnosed with the GI disorders of IBD and/or IBS. This article will focus on the strategies that women used for coping with such a diagnosis.
Eight women diagnosed with IBD and/or IBS were recruited from a university in southern Ontario, Canada. Each woman completed a background questionnaire, an e-mail interview, and a face-to-face interview. These data were subsequently analyzed for trends using phenomenology to direct the analysis.
Women reported using a number of strategies to help them cope with their diagnosis of IBD or IBS: positive attitude, support, controlling the situation and surroundings, distraction/ignoring the problem, relaxation techniques, and education/knowledge.
This research enables women to share their experiences concerning their coping strategies used in the management of IBD and/or IBS. The qualitative nature of this study provides the "voice" of women who have a GI disorder, which is often lacking in the literature, thus providing healthcare professionals with insight into the feelings and experiences of these women. The inability to understand the experiences of individuals with chronic conditions can act as a barrier in the treatment and interaction/rapport between healthcare professional and client.
炎症性肠病（IBD）（克罗恩病或溃疡性结肠炎）和肠易激综合征（IBS）是两种慢性胃肠道疾病，会使人虚弱，降低生活质量，且病因不明。IBD和/或IBS患者有相似的体征和症状，不过IBS不会像IBD那样导致肠道炎症/病变或增加患结直肠癌的风险。文献报道了应对胃肠道疾病的不同机制；然而，很少有研究从患有胃肠道疾病者的角度关注其生活经历/应对能力。因此，探索被诊断为IBD和/或IBS的女性的生活经历，将从受影响者的角度提供应对策略的信息，这反过来对其他受这些疾病影响的个体以及治疗胃肠道疾病患者的个体有用。
本研究的总体目标是探索被诊断患有IBD和/或IBS这两种胃肠道疾病的女性的生活经历。本文将聚焦于女性用于应对此类诊断的策略。
从加拿大安大略省南部的一所大学招募了8名被诊断为IBD和/或IBS的女性。每位女性都完成了一份背景问卷、一次电子邮件访谈和一次面对面访谈。随后使用现象学对这些数据进行趋势分析以指导分析。
女性报告使用了多种策略来帮助她们应对IBD或IBS的诊断：积极的态度、支持、控制情况和环境、分散注意力/忽视问题、放松技巧以及教育/知识。
本研究使女性能够分享她们在管理IBD和/或IBS时所采用的应对策略的经历。本研究的质性性质提供了患有胃肠道疾病女性的“声音”，而这在文献中往往缺失，从而为医疗保健专业人员提供了对这些女性的感受和经历的洞察。无法理解慢性病患者的经历可能会成为医疗保健专业人员与患者之间治疗及互动/融洽关系的障碍。
