Towards Equity and Universal Design in Pelvic Floor Care - Patient Experiences After Birth
Sahin-Haglund, Semra LU ; Turkmen, Sahruh and Hedvall, Per-Olof LU
(2024)
In Studies in Health Technology and Informatics
320.
p.125-132
- Abstract
This article presents preliminary findings from a design ethnographic study examining pelvic floor care practices from the perspective of patients with pelvic floor injuries caused by birth treated at the continence clinic in Sundsvall's Hospital, Sweden. The aim is to enhance our understanding of women's experiences of pelvic floor injury, provide insights into living with pelvic floor injury, and discuss this from a universal design perspective. The study combines qualitative observations during clinic meetings and individual interviews with participants in a separate room. In total, seven patients participated. The material was analysed using thematic analysis focusing on the patient's experiences and the continence clinic healthcare... (More)
This article presents preliminary findings from a design ethnographic study examining pelvic floor care practices from the perspective of patients with pelvic floor injuries caused by birth treated at the continence clinic in Sundsvall's Hospital, Sweden. The aim is to enhance our understanding of women's experiences of pelvic floor injury, provide insights into living with pelvic floor injury, and discuss this from a universal design perspective. The study combines qualitative observations during clinic meetings and individual interviews with participants in a separate room. In total, seven patients participated. The material was analysed using thematic analysis focusing on the patient's experiences and the continence clinic healthcare meeting situation. The initial findings show that pelvic floor injury symptoms such as leakage, pain and discomfort were seen as a routine part of giving birth and as expected and normal among patients. Another finding is how manifestation through visual evidence with mirroring or illustrations is found to be helpful among patients as it helps them with their healing process. Many participants have unresolved thoughts on the reasons for their pelvic floor injury. The narratives of patients living with pelvic floor injuries highlight themes of ambivalence and uncertainty, with the injuries often overshadowed by the subsequent demands of caring for a newborn, causing overload. The change is not only interpersonal; from a design perspective, the situation as a whole is of interest, including the environment, people, and artefacts. Further research is needed to explore women's experiences beyond the purely medical aspects. Here, universal design can contribute to increased sensitivity regarding stigma and values and how these can manifest socio-materially in healthcare interactions. This study provides a basis for continued work with co-creation workshops with participants in the following study.
(Less)
- author
- Sahin-Haglund, Semra
LU
; Turkmen, Sahruh
and Hedvall, Per-Olof
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024-11-18
- type
- Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Humans, Female, Sweden, Pelvic Floor, Adult, Pelvic Floor Disorders/therapy, Pregnancy, Urinary Incontinence/therapy, Universal design
- host publication
- Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Universal Design (UD2024), Oslo, Norway, 20-22 November 2024
- series title
- Studies in Health Technology and Informatics
- volume
- 320
- pages
- 8 pages
- publisher
- IOS Press
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85210048271
- pmid:39560233
- ISSN
- 0926-9630
- ISBN
- 978-1-64368-552-6
- DOI
- 10.3233/SHTI240993
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 0e08810a-1c72-4811-a787-d5da604532d3
- date added to LUP
- 2024-11-26 14:22:11
- date last changed
- 2026-01-03 12:42:32
@inproceedings{0e08810a-1c72-4811-a787-d5da604532d3,
abstract = {{<p>This article presents preliminary findings from a design ethnographic study examining pelvic floor care practices from the perspective of patients with pelvic floor injuries caused by birth treated at the continence clinic in Sundsvall's Hospital, Sweden. The aim is to enhance our understanding of women's experiences of pelvic floor injury, provide insights into living with pelvic floor injury, and discuss this from a universal design perspective. The study combines qualitative observations during clinic meetings and individual interviews with participants in a separate room. In total, seven patients participated. The material was analysed using thematic analysis focusing on the patient's experiences and the continence clinic healthcare meeting situation. The initial findings show that pelvic floor injury symptoms such as leakage, pain and discomfort were seen as a routine part of giving birth and as expected and normal among patients. Another finding is how manifestation through visual evidence with mirroring or illustrations is found to be helpful among patients as it helps them with their healing process. Many participants have unresolved thoughts on the reasons for their pelvic floor injury. The narratives of patients living with pelvic floor injuries highlight themes of ambivalence and uncertainty, with the injuries often overshadowed by the subsequent demands of caring for a newborn, causing overload. The change is not only interpersonal; from a design perspective, the situation as a whole is of interest, including the environment, people, and artefacts. Further research is needed to explore women's experiences beyond the purely medical aspects. Here, universal design can contribute to increased sensitivity regarding stigma and values and how these can manifest socio-materially in healthcare interactions. This study provides a basis for continued work with co-creation workshops with participants in the following study.</p>}},
author = {{Sahin-Haglund, Semra and Turkmen, Sahruh and Hedvall, Per-Olof}},
booktitle = {{Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Universal Design (UD2024), Oslo, Norway, 20-22 November 2024}},
isbn = {{978-1-64368-552-6}},
issn = {{0926-9630}},
keywords = {{Humans; Female; Sweden; Pelvic Floor; Adult; Pelvic Floor Disorders/therapy; Pregnancy; Urinary Incontinence/therapy; Universal design}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{11}},
pages = {{125--132}},
publisher = {{IOS Press}},
series = {{Studies in Health Technology and Informatics}},
title = {{Towards Equity and Universal Design in Pelvic Floor Care - Patient Experiences After Birth}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/SHTI240993}},
doi = {{10.3233/SHTI240993}},
volume = {{320}},
year = {{2024}},
}