[Women's experiences with cell changes].
BACKGROUND
Each year almost 15,000 Danish women are diagnosed with cervical dysplasia. The period of medical supervision before regression or progression and a possible conical section can be protracted. The aim of this study was to examine women's experiences of the different stages of cervical dysplasia. Furthermore, it aimed to examine whether women's knowledge of human papillomavirus (HPV) as the cause of cervical dysplasia influences their illness perception.


METHODS
A qualitative research design was applied using group and individual interviews with women who had been diagnosed with different stages of cervical dysplasia. The study was informed by a literature review that identified issues and questions which would be considered important by participants.


RESULTS
The participants considered cervical dysplasia to be highly distressing. Their fear of cancer was not proportional to the stage of their dysplasia but was rather determined by a lack of knowledge about their condition. Information about HPV did not result in stigmatisation equivalent to other STDs as the relation to cancer remained dominant for illness perception.


CONCLUSIONS
HPV vaccination not only makes it possible to prevent many incidences of cervical cancer but also to spare women the burden of having cervical dysplasia. Awareness of the patients' perspective can improve patient communication with women diagnosed with cervical dysplasia. This study shows that it is extremely important to address women's fears and their need for information about cervical dysplasia from the beginning of the course of the disease irrespective of the stage of their cell changes.
Mortensen
Gitte Lee
GL
AnthroConsult, Fynsgade 24, DK-8000 Arhus C. glm@anthroconsult.dk
Adeler
Anny Lisbeth
AL
D003142:Communication; D004645:Empathy; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D055809:Illness Behavior; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014342:Truth Disclosure; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000821:virology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000821:virology
D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines