La clínica de la síndrome de fibromiàlgia:Anàlisi des d'una perspectiva de gènere

Identificador:  TDX:4108

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX4108

Autors:  Ruschak, Ilga

Resum:
Fibromyalgia syndrome is an illness of unknown origin characterized by chronic pain, fatigue, sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, and functional impairment. It affects at least 5% of the world's population, with a higher prevalence in women, accounting for 80-96% of cases. Consequently, most of the current understanding of the condition is derived from research conducted on women, resulting in the invisibility of the male perspective and leading to underdiagnosis in men. Objectives: This thesis focuses on the clinic of the pathology from a gender perspective. The aim was to: (1) Determine how pain is assessed at a quantitative level. (2) Examine whether there are differences in pain characteristics between men and women suffering from fibromyalgia. (3) Describe how pain is conceptualized from a qualitative approach. Taking into account the scarce evidence regarding the clinical manifestations of male patients, we also set particular objectives in men: (4) To describe the experiences of pain and fatigue in two countries (Spain and the United States). (5) To examine the physical and psychological symptoms. (6) To analyse the possible side effects of pharmacological therapies, and finally, (7) to explore the impact of the pathology by comparing the results among different sociodemographic groups. Methodology: To address the first three objectives, a scoping review was conducted, including studies published from 2016 to 2022. For the fourth objective, a cross-cultural mixed-method study involving both quantitative and qualitative approaches was implemented across two countries. A total of 17 men participated, with 10 from Spain and 7 from the United States. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and questionnaires. To achieve the remaining objectives, a sequential exploratory study was conducted using a mixed methodology. The study was divided into two phases: qualitative and quantitative. In the qualitative phase, focus groups were conducted with 10 affected men. The quantitative phase involved providing an ad hoc questionnaire and the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire to a total of 23 males. Results: • First article related to the first three objectives: Healthcare 2023, Jan 11, 223. doi: 10.3390/healthcare1102020223. 'Fibromyalgia Syndrome Pain in Men and Women: A Scoping Revie