Lived Experiences of Women with Uterine Fibroids Attending Kawempe National Referral Hospital. A Qualitative Study.

Abstract Background-Black women are disproportionately affected by uterine fibroids. Although many women with uterine myomas are without symptoms, early diagnosis of the disease is imperative for better treatment outcomes. If unattended to in early enough, fibroids can grow and lead to worsened symptoms and complications cause significant morbidity to women. Treating fibroids in advanced stages often necessities surgical interventions all of which worsen the quality of life burden health systems. Objective- The study explored the lived experiences of women with uterine fibroids attending Kawempe National Referral Hospital (KNRH.) Methods- The study was a qualitative facility-based research that employed a phenomenological approach. Nineteen (19) women with uterine fibroids were recruited and were selected by the maximum variation purposive sampling technique. Data was collected by conducting in-depth interviews with help of an interview guide. Data analysis was done by manual thematic data analysis approach. Results-The 19 study participants had varying demographic characteristics. Five main themes emerged from the data, these were; knowledge of uterine fibroids, causes of uterine fibroids, effects of uterine fibroids, managing uterine fibroids, and coping with uterine fibroids. Women reported that fibroids negatively affect their lives to a significant magnitude. Some of the negative experiences reported by women included experiencing high levels of stress and depressive symptoms, social stigma and avoidance of public gatherings, and broken relationships with their marital partners and relatives. Women also reported some barriers to seeking medical care for their condition, which included the fear of surgical treatment, poor knowledge about the condition, and lack of finances. Conclusion-Uterine fibroids negatively affect the quality of lives of women living with them in a chronic nature and the negative effects have a ripple effect spreading to their immediate partners and relatives, up to the bigger social circles of the victims. We recommend, establishment of patient-centered and community based health education to sensitize women about the uterine fibroids with facility initiated screening tools for the condition. Further qualitative studies about uterine fibroids such as exploring the quality of life of women after surgical management procedures like myomectomy and hysterectomy.