Understanding the Dialogical Experiences of Puerto Rican Women With Fibromyalgia: An Intersectional Analysis

Abstract

Introduction: Fibromyalgia is a condition that is often misunderstood by the medical community. Misunderstandings are exacerbated when a patient is an ethnic minority, and recent literature suggests that ethnic minorities are shown to have a higher prevalence of fibromyalgia. Despite this information, many studies about fibromyalgia are conducted with Anglo-Americans while ethnic minorities are underrepresented. Methods: To address this research gap, this study uses qualitative interviews to discuss the dialogical experiences of Puerto Rican women with fibromyalgia through a combination of intersectional and rhetorical theory. These methodologies can reveal what having various identities can mean when communicating in institutional and cultural settings. Results: The data shows a significant level of gaslighting by providers, which led participants to more aggressively seek proper treatment. Cultural deference towards doctors was also noted as a practice that can backfire, especially when living with a condition that is often dismissed. Conclusion: The results indicate that when the body's truth is filtered through intersectional lenses, this truth can become distorted or lost.