Ginindza Vuyisile J, Shabalala Fortunate S, Nsibandze Bonisile S, Nyirenda Makandwe, Ginindza Themba G
College of Health Sciences, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
Department of Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eswatini, Mbabane, Eswatini.
Health SA. 2024 Nov 15;29:2724. doi: 10.4102/hsag.v29i0.2724. eCollection 2024.
Uterine fibroids (UFs) are benign uterine growths that significantly impact women's daily activities, quality of life, fertility and expenditure.
This study aimed to provide in-depth insights into the lived experiences of women diagnosed with UFs.
The study was conducted in Eswatini health facilities across the four geographic regions.
An explorative qualitative design was used; participants with confirmed UFs diagnoses or surgery related to UFs were purposively recruited for focus group discussions. Data collection was guided by the revised Wilson and Cleary model of health-related quality of life (HRQOL), which was iteratively analysed using Braun and Clark's thematic analysis framework.
Sixty participants with confirmed UFs diagnoses or surgery related to UFs were included in this study. Five themes emerged: awareness of the disease, symptoms experienced, treatment and care, perceptions and beliefs and health-seeking behaviour. Most participants experienced physical symptoms, abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding. Among the emotional and psychological consequences experienced by the majority of participants were fear, worry, tension and (perceived) disrupted body image. The majority of the participants lacked knowledge of UFs, and their perceptions and health-seeking behaviour differed.
Findings showed that most participants experienced physical, psychological, emotional and social challenges.
These experiences were influenced by lack of knowledge, symptoms experienced, poor treatment and care and perceptions and beliefs about UFs. Health education, client involvement, early diagnosis and effective treatment are recommended to improve the experiences of UFs.
子宫肌瘤是子宫良性肿瘤，对女性的日常活动、生活质量、生育能力和支出有重大影响。
本研究旨在深入了解被诊断为子宫肌瘤的女性的生活经历。
该研究在斯威士兰四个地理区域的医疗机构中进行。
采用探索性定性设计；有确诊子宫肌瘤或与子宫肌瘤相关手术的参与者被有目的地招募参加焦点小组讨论。数据收集以修订后的威尔逊和克利里健康相关生活质量模型为指导，并使用布劳恩和克拉克的主题分析框架进行迭代分析。
本研究纳入了60名有确诊子宫肌瘤或与子宫肌瘤相关手术的参与者。出现了五个主题：疾病认知、经历的症状、治疗与护理、认知与信念以及就医行为。大多数参与者经历了身体症状、腹痛和阴道出血。大多数参与者经历的情绪和心理后果包括恐惧、担忧、紧张以及（感知到的）身体形象受损。大多数参与者对子宫肌瘤缺乏了解，他们的认知和就医行为各不相同。
研究结果表明，大多数参与者经历了身体、心理、情感和社会方面的挑战。
这些经历受到知识缺乏、经历的症状、治疗与护理不佳以及对子宫肌瘤的认知和信念的影响。建议开展健康教育、让患者参与、早期诊断和有效治疗，以改善子宫肌瘤患者的经历。
