Diagnosis: a liminal state for women living with lupus.
Women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus) often experience a protracted diagnostic period in which their symptoms are treated as medically unexplained. Although they know they are ill, their symptoms have not been validated as indicative of disease by a health care professional. Consequently, the diagnostic period can be viewed as liminal, the middle stage in the rites of passage and what Turner (1969/1997) has labeled "betwixt and between." Drawing on the analysis of narratives solicited from 23 women recruited from online lupus support groups, I explore the gendered nature of diagnosis for women with lupus using van Gennep's (1960) rites of passage as a conceptual framework.
College of Nursing, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA. cfmendelson@salud.unm.edu
Cindy
C
Mendelson
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000739:Anecdotes as Topic; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States; D016387:Women's Health; D055815:Young Adult