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Illness experience in fibromyalgia syndrome: A metasynthesis of qualitative studies

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  • Sim, Julius
  • Madden, Sue

Abstract

There is growing interest in synthesizing qualitative research. Despite certain philosophical and methodological difficulties, such syntheses are potentially useful in enriching the insights of empirical qualitative work in a particular area. This paper reports an interpretive review of research into the subjective experience of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), utilizing principles of metasynthesis. Twenty-three separate studies were identified. Each study was evaluated using methodological criteria to provide a context for interpretation of substantive findings. Principal findings were extracted and synthesized under four broad categories: experience of symptoms, search for diagnosis, legitimacy, and coping. Our findings re-emphasised the point that pain in FMS is ambiguous and invisible, raising questions of credibility and legitimacy. People with a diagnosis of FMS appear to frame the experience of symptoms within the biomedical model, where FMS is viewed as an organic entity potentially identifiable through biomedical tests. The subjective meaning and perceived legitimacy of the diagnostic label appear to be important factors in the subjective experience of FMS. Coping strategies adopted can be subsumed under Mannerkorpi, K., Kroksmark, T., Ekdahl, C. [1999. How patients with fibromyalgia experience their symptoms in everyday life. Physiotherapy Research International, 4(2), 110-122.] notions of 'struggling', 'adapting', 'in despair' and 'giving up'. Most studies had at least one identified methodological shortcoming, though it is not straightforward to identify the significance of such shortcomings. We conclude that there is scope for further research into the subjective experience of FMS, and into the methodology of metasynthesis, especially in relation to methodological appraisal.

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  • Sim, Julius & Madden, Sue, 2008. "Illness experience in fibromyalgia syndrome: A metasynthesis of qualitative studies," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(1), pages 57-67, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:67:y:2008:i:1:p:57-67
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Tucker, Samantha R. & Speer, Susan A. & Peters, Sarah, 2016. "Development of an explanatory model of sexual intimacy following treatment for localised prostate cancer: A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative evidence," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 80-88.
    4. Groenevelt, I.P.(Irene) & de Boer, M.L.(Marjolein), 2023. "Contesting misrecognition online: Experiences of epistemic in/justice by vloggers with contested illnesses," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 327(C).
    5. José Granero-Molina & Tamara María Matarín Jiménez & Carmen Ramos Rodríguez & José Manuel Hernández-Padilla & Adelaida María Castro-Sánchez & Cayetano Fernández-Sola, 2018. "Social Support for Female Sexual Dysfunction in Fibromyalgia," Clinical Nursing Research, , vol. 27(3), pages 296-314, March.
    6. Britt Jensen & Sigurd Broesby‐Olsen & Carsten Bindslev‐Jensen & Dorthe S. Nielsen, 2019. "Everyday life and mastocytosis from a patient perspective—a qualitative study," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(7-8), pages 1114-1124, April.
    7. Victoria Mailen Arfuch & Rosa Caballol Angelats & Carina Aguilar Martín & Alessandra Queiroga Gonçalves & Noèlia Carrasco-Querol & Gemma González Serra & Maria Cinta Sancho Sol & Immaculada Fusté Angu, 2022. "Patients’ Lived Experience in a Multicomponent Intervention for Fibromyalgia Syndrome in Primary Care: A Qualitative Interview Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-20, October.

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