The Workplace Experiences of Women with Fibromyalgia

• Purpose: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a common pain syndrome that mostly affects women. Chronic pain and other symptoms often challenge work for women with FM. This study aimed to explore how women with FM experience their work situations.Method: A purposive sample of 15 women with FM was interviewed with in-depth qualitative interviews. Data were analysed using a hermeneutic approach.Results: The results revealed that women with FM experienced incapacity to work as they had previously and eventually accepted that their work life had changed or reached its end. Since their work had great significance in their lives, feelings of loss and sorrow were common. Women who were working, unemployed, or on sick leave described feelings of fear for their future work situations.Conclusions: Women with FM greatly value their work. However, their wishes to perform at work as they had previously and their ability to do so fail to conform. As such, women with FM need support in continuing to work for as long as possible, after which they need support in finding new values in life.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Neurologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Neurology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Work

fibromyalgia

women

interviews

qualitative methods

Nursing

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)