Nullified: women's perceptions of being abused in health care.
OBJECTIVE
In a study performed with The NorVold Abuse Questionnaire (NorAQ) among Nordic gynecological patients, the prevalence of lifetime abuse in health care (AHC) was 13 - 28%. In the present study we chose a qualitative approach. Our aim was to develop a more in-depth understanding of AHC; as experienced by female Swedish patients.


METHODS
Qualitative interviews with 10 Swedish gynecological patients who had experienced AHC. The interviews were analyzed through Grounded Theory.


RESULTS
Saturation was reached after six interviews. In the analyses four categories emerged which explain what AHC meant to the participating women: felt powerless, felt ignored, experienced carelessness, and experienced non-empathy. To be nullified is the core category that theoretically binds the four categories together. The women's narratives described intensive current suffering even though the abusive event had taken place several years ago.


CONCLUSIONS
The fact that AHC exists is a critical dilemma for an institution that has the society's commission to cure and/or to alleviate pain and suffering. In their narratives, women described the experience of 'being nullified', a core category that embodies AHC.
Swahnberg
Katarina
K
Division of Gender and Medicine, Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Sweden. katsw@imk.liu.se
Thapar-Björkert
Suruchi
S
Berterö
Carina
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology; D004645:Empathy; D005194:Family Practice / Q000941:ethics; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006176:Gynecology / Q000941:ethics; D006296:Health Services / Q000941:ethics*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008875:Middle Aged; D010815:Physician Impairment / Q000523:psychology; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations / Q000941:ethics; D011209:Power, Psychological; D011363:Professional Impairment / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000941:ethics / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden