Women with vulvodynia: awareness and knowledge of its care among student healthcare staff (original) (raw)
Related papers
Vulvodynia Viewed From a Disease Prevention Framework: Insights From Patient Perspectives
Sexual Medicine Open Access, 2020
Introduction: Persons with vulvodynia (a chronic vulvar pain condition) suffer many barriers to diagnosis and treatment, several of which may be exacerbated by the sociocultural and geographical context in which they live. Aim: We drew on the experiences of patients with vulvodynia who were living in small urban and rural communities to learn what they perceived as the major barriers to diagnosis and treatment as well as to probe for possible solutions. Methods: For this qualitative case study, we conducted 3 focus groups with a total of 10 participants, drawn from patients seen at our academic tertiary referral center, with a goal of understanding their lived experience with vulvodynia. Main Outcome Measures: The patient dialogue was coded into themes and temporally grouped to illustrate struggles and victories in diagnosis and treatment. Results: Participants confirmed that healthcare provider knowledge and attitudes as well as system challenges (specialist and allied healthcare provider availability) are major barriers to timely diagnosis. Of novel interest are other factors that exacerbate distress and delay diagnosis such as patients’ inadequate knowledge of sexual functioning and sociocultural messages regarding “normal” sexual activity. Our work suggests that a disease prevention framework that includes comprehensive sexual education before or at the onset of sexual activity may be of benefit in reducing the burden of vulvodynia when added to strategies to increase healthcare provider knowledge and improve access to effective treatments. Conclusion: While healthcare provider knowledge and attitudes are often at the forefront of barriers to diagnosis, our study suggests that to minimize patient distress and expedite diagnosis, resources must also be directed to promoting comprehensive sexual health education.
Health Education on Vulvovaginitis for Women Seen at a Family Health Center
2014
Objective: To develop educational activities, aiming at the construction of knowledge about vulvovaginitis, identifying the knowledge acquired and the desire for attitude change after the activities. Methods: A qualitative descriptive research, held at Maria Adeodato Family Health Center (FHC) in the city of Sobral, Ceará, in the period from March to May 2013. Ten educational activities regarding vulvovaginitis were performed with women seen at the FHC, addressing different topics. Every action was divided into three phases: diagnosis of prior knowledge, educational activities with the subject to be covered, and afterwards evaluation. Data was collected through semi-structured interview, for the participant's identification, and focal group, for the diagnostic and evaluation phases, and content analysis was performed using thematic categories. Results: The research comprised 8 participants, aged between 48 and 55 years, with schooling ranging from the first year of primary education to complete primary education, mostly single, having a minimum of 5 children, and the participants did not undergo the gynecological exam frequently. The generated analysis categories were described as 'women's knowledge of the body (genitals) and their intimate hygiene', 'prevention and control of vulvovaginitides' and 'women's perception about gynecological exam'. It was evidenced that the study participants ignored the terminology 'vulvovaginitis' as well as the disease signs, symptoms, and means of transmission, or just had a brief knowledge of the subject. Conclusion: After the educational activities, the study identified knowledge acquirement by the participants and expressions indicating the desire for changing.
Archives of Sexual Behavior
Vulvodynia is the experience of idiopathic pain characterized by burning, soreness, or throbbing in the external female genitalia or vulva and is estimated to be experienced by 4-16% of the female population, yet only half of women seek help regarding their symptoms. Of the women who do seek help, only around 2% obtain a diagnosis. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to explore the experiences of women with vulvodynia on their journey toward diagnosis, by using semi-structured interviews and an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) methodology. Eight women were interviewed, and their experiences were analyzed and interpreted into three master themes, each with constituent sub-themes: (1) The Journey Is a Battle, (2) "What Is Vulvodynia?": Ambivalence Toward Diagnosis, and (3) Patriarchy, Women, and Sex. Overall, women perceived a healthcare system which was dismissive and shaming, with an inadequate knowledge of vulvodynia. This in turn impacted on women's psychological well-being. Psychological understanding, one-to-one therapy, and consultation and training for healthcare professionals may help to improve the psychological well-being of women with vulvodynia.
Treatment Seeking for Vulvodynia and Vaginismus: A Systematic Review
New Voices in Psychology 8(2): 53-70
This systematic review synthesises the current literature regarding treatment seeking decisions in women with vulvodynia and vaginismus. A database search was conducted to identify literature of interest, including both qualitative and quantitative research. Of the 555 related articles, nine were deemed eligible. Findings suggest that treatment seeking can be a protracted process that has significant implications for women with vulvodynia and vaginismus. The women's attitudes, perceptions and distress levels impact treatment seeking, with relationship factors and selfconcept affecting motivation for treatment seeking. Knowing what motivates treatment seeking could improve the rates of diagnosis and successful treatment, thus improving the quality of life for women with vulvodynia and vaginismus.
PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL REPERCUSSIONS GENERATED IN WOMEN WITH VULVODYNIA: A BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW (Atena Editora), 2023
Vulvodynia directly interferes with the quality of life of patients, affecting their self-esteem, in addition to having physical, psychological and social impacts. Physiotherapeutic treatment consists of evaluating and treating such pathology, in order to, together with the multidisciplinary team, restore a dignified sex life to those with this disease. The present study seeks to analyze the main physical and social repercussions generated in women with vulvodynia, and how physiotherapy can act on this sexual dysfunction. This study consists of a literature review and was carried out using data retrieved from digital platforms: SciELO, GOOGLE ACADÊMICO and PEDro. With regard to physical and social repercussions in patients with vulvodynia, pain complaints disturb emotional balance, work performance and interpersonal relationships, due to irritability, anhedonia, anguish and anxiety caused by the clinical condition. Impacts on the marital, work and personal life of these women were evidenced, such as low self-esteem, irritability, anguish and anxiety
Factors Associated With Vulvodynia Incidence
Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2014
Objective-To assess incidence rates of and risk factors for vulvodynia. Methods-We conducted a longitudinal population-based study of women in southeast Michigan (Woman to Woman Health Study) using a validated survey-based screening test for vulvodynia that was repeated at 6-month intervals over 30 months. Unadjusted incidence rates were determined using Poisson models. Demographic and symptom-related risk factors for incidence were assessed using discrete time survival analysis. Results-Women who screened negative for vulvodynia at baseline and were followed through at least one additional survey (n=1786), were assessed for onset of vulvodynia. The incidence rate was 4.2 cases per 100 person-years, and rates per 100 person-years were greater in women who were younger (7.6 cases per 100 person-years at age 20, compared with 3.3 cases per 100 personyears at age 60), Hispanic (9.5), married or living as married (4.9); had reported symptoms of vulvar pain but did not meet vulvodynia criteria on the initial survey (11.5); or had reported past symptoms suggesting a history of vulvodynia (7.5). Increased risk of new onset vulvodynia also included baseline sleep disturbance, chronic pain in general, specific comorbid pain disorders, and specific comorbid psychological disorders. Conclusions-The incidence rates of vulvodynia differ by age, ethnicity and marital status. Onset is more likely among women with previous symptoms of vulvodynia or those with intermediate symptoms not meeting criteria for vulvodynia, and among those with preexisting sleep, psychological, and comorbid pain disorders. This suggests vulvodynia is an episodic condition with a potentially identifiable prodromal phase. Vulvodynia is a vulvar pain disorder that is typically chronic, and occurs in women of all ages and ethnic groups. The pain varies from mild to excruciating, and may be provokable or spontaneous or both. Vulvodynia is known to be present in over 8% of women, and to affect women across the lifespan and across ethnic and socioeconomic groups. However, information on the onset (incidence) of vulvodynia is limited, and factors associated with this onset are not well understood. Women with vulvar pain are infrequently evaluated by
Women’s Subjective Experiences of Living with Vulvodynia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Ethnography
Archives of Sexual Behavior
Vulvodynia, the experience of an idiopathic pain in theformofburning,soreness,orthrobbinginthevulvalarea,affects around 4-16% of the population. The current review used systematic search strategies and meta-ethnography as a means of identifying, analyzing, and synthesizing the existing literature pertaining to women's subjective experiences of living with vulvodynia. Four key concepts were identified: (1) Social Constructions: Sex, Women, and Femininity: Women experienced negative consequences of social narratives around womanhood, sexuality, and femininity, including the prioritization of penetrative sex, the belief that it is the role of women to provide sex for men, and media portrayals of sex as easy and natural. (2) Seeking Help: Women experienced the healthcare system as dismissive, sometimes being prescribed treatments that exacerbated the experience of pain. (3) Psychological and Relational Impact of Vulvodynia: Women experiencedfeelingshameandguilt,whichinturnled totheexperienceof psychological distress, low mood, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Moreover, women reported feeling silenced which in turn affected their heterosexual relationships and their peer relationships by feeling social isolated. (4) A Way Forward: Women found changing narratives, as well as group and individual multidisciplinary approaches, helpful in managing vulvodynia. The findings of the review conclude that interventions at the individual level, as well as interventions aimed at equipping women to challenge social narratives, may be helpful for the psychological well-being of women with vulvodynia.
A scoping review: the psychosocial barriers that exist for people with vulvodynia
The Journal of Sexual Medicine
Background Vulvodynia, including generalized vulvodynia and vestibulodynia, affects at least 8% to 16% of people with a vulva and may have a negative impact on one’s quality of life, psychological health, interpersonal relationships, and individual behaviors. Aim The aim of this scoping review is to synthesize and analyze the emerging literature of vulvodynia research while determining what psychosocial barriers exist for people with vulvodynia. Methods A rigorous literature search was completed in 6 databases: PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Web of Science, APA PsycInfo, and Academic Search Premier. Key terms and subject headings, including Medical Subject Headings, were used to systematically search these databases. Two reviewers were utilized to assess the reference list and reduce bias. Outcomes A total of 671 articles were discovered during the search, which was narrowed down to 73 that included at least 1 psychosocial barrier that patients experience in the United States and Canada. R...
The European journal of general practice, 2018
The gap between the relatively high prevalence of provoked vulvodynia (PVD) in the general population and the low incidence in primary care can partly be explained by physicians' lack of knowledge about the assessment and management of PVD. To recognize barriers and facilitators of GPs in the diagnostic process of women presenting with recurrent vulvovaginal complaints. A qualitative focus group study in 17 Dutch GPs, five men and 12 women. An interview guide, based on the scientific literature and the expertise of the researchers, including a vignette of a patient, was used to direct the discussion between the GPs. The interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. A systematic text analysis of the transcripts was performed after data saturation was reached. Analysis of the interviews generated three major themes: Identifying and discussing sexual complaints, importance of gender in professional experience, and coping with professional uncertainty. Within these themes, th...