{"title":"Exploring the lived experiences of patients with fibromyalgia in the United Kingdom: a study of patient-general practitioner communication.","authors":"Crystal Maher, Daniel Gaffiero","doi":"10.1080/08870446.2025.2474013","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Fibromyalgia is often viewed as a contested illness, with individuals facing scepticism from healthcare providers, which can hinder their diagnostic and treatment experiences. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of individuals with fibromyalgia in the United Kingdom, focusing on their interactions with general practitioners.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Six participants (one male, five females; mean age, 44.0 ± 13.7 years), all formally diagnosed with fibromyalgia, were recruited <i>via</i> social media. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyse the data, enabling the interpretation of participants' nuanced experiences. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather detailed accounts of their diagnosis, treatment, and communication experiences.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Two primary themes emerged from the analysis. 'Challenges in obtaining accurate diagnosis and adequate treatment', reflected participants' feelings of invalidation and including sub-themes of 'medical mystery and misdiagnosis' and 'sex bias in healthcare'. 'Importance of trust in fibromyalgia management', highlighted the crucial role of trust in improving care, with sub-themes of 'positive impact of active listening' and 'improved trust over time'.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study highlights the need for a more patient-centred, compassionate, and collaborative approach to fibromyalgia management. Addressing trust, diagnostic accuracy, and sex bias may lead to better overall outcomes for fibromyalgia patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":20718,"journal":{"name":"Psychology & Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-22"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Psychology & Health","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2025.2474013","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective: Fibromyalgia is often viewed as a contested illness, with individuals facing scepticism from healthcare providers, which can hinder their diagnostic and treatment experiences. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of individuals with fibromyalgia in the United Kingdom, focusing on their interactions with general practitioners.
Materials and methods: Six participants (one male, five females; mean age, 44.0 ± 13.7 years), all formally diagnosed with fibromyalgia, were recruited via social media. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyse the data, enabling the interpretation of participants' nuanced experiences. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather detailed accounts of their diagnosis, treatment, and communication experiences.
Results: Two primary themes emerged from the analysis. 'Challenges in obtaining accurate diagnosis and adequate treatment', reflected participants' feelings of invalidation and including sub-themes of 'medical mystery and misdiagnosis' and 'sex bias in healthcare'. 'Importance of trust in fibromyalgia management', highlighted the crucial role of trust in improving care, with sub-themes of 'positive impact of active listening' and 'improved trust over time'.
Conclusion: This study highlights the need for a more patient-centred, compassionate, and collaborative approach to fibromyalgia management. Addressing trust, diagnostic accuracy, and sex bias may lead to better overall outcomes for fibromyalgia patients.
期刊介绍：
Psychology & Health promotes the study and application of psychological approaches to health and illness. The contents include work on psychological aspects of physical illness, treatment processes and recovery; psychosocial factors in the aetiology of physical illnesses; health attitudes and behaviour, including prevention; the individual-health care system interface particularly communication and psychologically-based interventions. The journal publishes original research, and accepts not only papers describing rigorous empirical work, including meta-analyses, but also those outlining new psychological approaches and interventions in health-related fields.
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：
京公网安备 11010802042870号
