The lived experiences of discomfort in women with Crohn's disease: a hermeneutic phenomenological study

Abstract

Background: Discomfort in women with Crohn's disease is highly prevalent, even during remission. However, these women's lived experiences of discomfort are largely unknown. Aims: To explore the lived experiences of discomfort in women with Crohn's disease. Methods: Six women with Crohn's disease were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling. Semi-structured, audio-recorded interviews were conducted using Zoom and transcribed verbatim for analysis. van Manen's work guided the data analysis. Findings: Four phenomenological themes were identified: discomfort as an embodied experience, discomfort as a conscious experience, discomfort and social life, and discomfort as a way forward. Conclusion: Healthcare professionals and researchers can facilitate the recognition, impact and mitigating strategies of discomfort by acknowledging it as an essential phenomenon for women with Crohn's disease. Further research is recommended to understand better the experience of discomfort and its implications for women's quality of life and their social and therapeutic relationships.