A qualitative study of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women seeking pelvic organ prolapse surgery in Alberta, Canada.
Erin KnoxKaylee RamageNatalie V ScimeAriel DuceyErin A BrennandPublished in: Health & social care in the community (2022)
In addition to altering public infrastructure and social patterning, the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed many pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgeries. POP-related stigma, symptomology and the experience of waiting for POP surgery can negatively impact women's quality of life and mental health. The experience of preoperative POP patients during the pandemic thus entails a new intersection of gendered, stigmatic and medical realities. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 26 preoperative POP patients as part of a larger qualitative study, 20 of whom spontaneously volunteered information about how the pandemic coloured their experience living with and awaiting surgery for POP. Interviews occurred between January and July 2021, which coincided with the second and third waves of the pandemic in Alberta, Canada, and before full immunisation was available for all Albertans. Pandemic-related interview excerpts were thematically analysed, and four main findings emerged. (1) Though surgical delay meant living with unpleasant symptoms for longer than anticipated, some sought this out in order to protect vulnerable loved ones from possible hospital-acquired infection, (2) shifting and unclear hospital policies and logistics resulted in intense preoperative stress, at times causing women to temporarily cease treatment, (3) decreased access to public restroom infrastructure caused women to reduce their outings and (4) the imperative to minimise social gatherings made it easier for women to engage in POP-related, shame-based self-isolation without the notice of friends and family. As they can influence postoperative outcomes and treatment adherence, trends observed should be of interest to clinicians and policymakers alike.
Keyphrases
- mental health
- polycystic ovary syndrome
- healthcare
- sars cov
- coronavirus disease
- end stage renal disease
- minimally invasive
- pregnancy outcomes
- ejection fraction
- coronary artery bypass
- patients undergoing
- newly diagnosed
- cervical cancer screening
- chronic kidney disease
- prognostic factors
- type diabetes
- mental illness
- public health
- adipose tissue
- adverse drug
- insulin resistance
- emergency department
- peritoneal dialysis
- systematic review
- coronary artery disease
- depressive symptoms
- percutaneous coronary intervention
- palliative care
- social media
- skeletal muscle
- weight loss
- physical activity
- electronic health record
- smoking cessation
- combination therapy
- human immunodeficiency virus
- acute care
- patient reported
- social support