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Exploring the Preferences of Women Regarding Sexual and Reproductive Health Care in the Context of Rheumatology: A Qualitative Study.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Wolgemuth, T; Stransky, OM; Chodoff, A; Kazmerski, TM; Clowse, MEB; Birru Talabi, M
Published in: Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken)
August 2021

OBJECTIVE: To explore the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care and counseling needs of young women with rheumatic diseases in the context of their rheumatology care. METHODS: Semistructured qualitative telephone interviews were conducted with female patients with rheumatic diseases ages 18-45 years (n = 30). Women were recruited from outpatient rheumatology clinics in western Pennsylvania. Interviews were audiorecorded and transcribed verbatim. A codebook was inductively developed based on the interview transcripts, and the finalized coding was used to conduct a thematic analysis. RESULTS: Four themes emerged from interviews: 1) women want rheumatologists to initiate conversations about SRH and to revisit the conversation over time; 2) women desire clear and complete information regarding fetal, pregnancy, and infertility risks associated with their diseases and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs); 3) women want to be treated holistically, with SRH addressed in the context of their life circumstances and personal values in addition to their rheumatic diseases; 4) women generally feel that they are intermediaries between their rheumatologists and obstetrician-gynecologists (OB/GYNs), but preferred for providers to communicate directly with one another about their SRH. CONCLUSION: Patients strongly desired rheumatologists to play an active role in their SRH, by initiating family planning conversations, providing SRH education in the context of their diseases and DMARDs, and directly coordinating SRH care with OB/GYNs. To meet patients' SRH needs, further work is needed to clarify the specific role of rheumatologists in providing SRH care and to identify ways to better facilitate communication between rheumatologists and reproductive health care providers.

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Published In

Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken)

DOI

EISSN

2151-4658

Publication Date

August 2021

Volume

73

Issue

8

Start / End Page

1194 / 1200

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Women's Health Services
  • Women's Health
  • Sexual Health
  • Rheumatology
  • Rheumatic Diseases
  • Reproductive Health
  • Qualitative Research
  • Physician-Patient Relations
  • Patient Preference
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Wolgemuth, T., Stransky, O. M., Chodoff, A., Kazmerski, T. M., Clowse, M. E. B., & Birru Talabi, M. (2021). Exploring the Preferences of Women Regarding Sexual and Reproductive Health Care in the Context of Rheumatology: A Qualitative Study. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken), 73(8), 1194–1200. https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.24249
Wolgemuth, Tierney, Olivia M. Stransky, Alaina Chodoff, Traci M. Kazmerski, Megan E. B. Clowse, and Mehret Birru Talabi. “Exploring the Preferences of Women Regarding Sexual and Reproductive Health Care in the Context of Rheumatology: A Qualitative Study.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 73, no. 8 (August 2021): 1194–1200. https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.24249.
Wolgemuth T, Stransky OM, Chodoff A, Kazmerski TM, Clowse MEB, Birru Talabi M. Exploring the Preferences of Women Regarding Sexual and Reproductive Health Care in the Context of Rheumatology: A Qualitative Study. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2021 Aug;73(8):1194–200.
Wolgemuth, Tierney, et al. “Exploring the Preferences of Women Regarding Sexual and Reproductive Health Care in the Context of Rheumatology: A Qualitative Study.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken), vol. 73, no. 8, Aug. 2021, pp. 1194–200. Pubmed, doi:10.1002/acr.24249.
Wolgemuth T, Stransky OM, Chodoff A, Kazmerski TM, Clowse MEB, Birru Talabi M. Exploring the Preferences of Women Regarding Sexual and Reproductive Health Care in the Context of Rheumatology: A Qualitative Study. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2021 Aug;73(8):1194–1200.
Journal cover image

Published In

Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken)

DOI

EISSN

2151-4658

Publication Date

August 2021

Volume

73

Issue

8

Start / End Page

1194 / 1200

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Women's Health Services
  • Women's Health
  • Sexual Health
  • Rheumatology
  • Rheumatic Diseases
  • Reproductive Health
  • Qualitative Research
  • Physician-Patient Relations
  • Patient Preference