View in EDS

"I just want to stay here and sleep forever": South African patients' lived experiences of chronic fatigue in endometriosis.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: "I just want to stay here and sleep forever": South African patients' lived experiences of chronic fatigue in endometriosis.
Authors: Spyrelis, Alexandra (AUTHOR), Sibande, Zamafiso Nombulelo (AUTHOR), Loades, Maria E. (AUTHOR), Roomaney, Rizwana (AUTHOR)
Source: South African Journal of Psychology. Mar2024, Vol. 54 Issue 1, p23-34. 12p.
Subjects: Patients' attitudes, South Africans, Despair, Fatigue (Physiology), Endometriosis
Geographic Terms: South Africa
Abstract: Chronic fatigue is a distressing symptom for endometriosis patients but is not widely investigated in the literature. Our aim was to explore patients' lived experiences of chronic fatigue and how they make meaning of it. We analysed a subset of data from seven severely fatigued endometriosis patients, drawn from a broader qualitative study in South Africa, using an interpretive phenomenological analysis. Three superordinate themes and eight subordinate themes were developed. The three superordinate themes were powerlessness, which was a core aspect of the chronic fatigue experience among participants; struggle and anguish, as their lives had become a daily struggle resulting in feelings of despair and anger; and otherness, as they felt different from their peers due to the fatigue. The findings demonstrate the far-reaching effects that chronic fatigue has in the lives of endometriosis patients, including on their self-perception, and highlights the critical need for fatigue management strategies within treatment protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of South African Journal of Psychology is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Description
Abstract:Chronic fatigue is a distressing symptom for endometriosis patients but is not widely investigated in the literature. Our aim was to explore patients' lived experiences of chronic fatigue and how they make meaning of it. We analysed a subset of data from seven severely fatigued endometriosis patients, drawn from a broader qualitative study in South Africa, using an interpretive phenomenological analysis. Three superordinate themes and eight subordinate themes were developed. The three superordinate themes were powerlessness, which was a core aspect of the chronic fatigue experience among participants; struggle and anguish, as their lives had become a daily struggle resulting in feelings of despair and anger; and otherness, as they felt different from their peers due to the fatigue. The findings demonstrate the far-reaching effects that chronic fatigue has in the lives of endometriosis patients, including on their self-perception, and highlights the critical need for fatigue management strategies within treatment protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:00812463
DOI:10.1177/00812463241227319