Abstract
Background: Fibromyalgia is a chronic and complex disease whose management by patients requires a high level of commitment. Patient empowerment therefore represents an important milestone in chronic disease treatment and control. We explored the impact of a peer social support network from the perspective of women with fibromyalgia. Methods: A generic qualitative design was proposed for the study, for which women who had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia were purposefully selected. Six semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the collected data were thematically analysed. Results: Three key themes emerged regarding the peer social support network: (1) empowerment (facilitating acceptance of the diagnosis and acting as a source of information); (2) effects on well-being and quality of life (attenuated the stigma, improved physical well-being, provided emotional support and was a socialization medium); and (3), valuable aspects (transmitted feelings of being understood and listened to and increased personal feelings of satisfaction). Conclusions: A peer social support network for women with fibromyalgia exerts positive effects on their physical, mental, and social well-being and empowers them to better manage their disease. Healthcare for women with fibromyalgia should include strategies that connect them through peer social support networks.
Highlights
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic and complex disease of unknown aetiology, characterized by generalized musculoskeletal pain, whose onset and specific location is often unclear [1]
Obtaining a diagnosis marks a watershed in the lives of people with chronic illnesses, including FM [43], there is a lack of evidence about how important becoming aware of FM is for patients [44]
Our findings suggest that people with FM do not obtain sufficient information to manage their disease from health professionals; our interviewees felt that their doctors should have provided more complete information, the information received from primary care nurses was positively appraised
Summary
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic and complex disease of unknown aetiology, characterized by generalized musculoskeletal pain, whose onset and specific location is often unclear [1]. People with FM have ongoing hypersensitivity to pain, which tends to occur mainly in muscle structures, other symptoms and clinical manifestations affect functionality [4]. Fibromyalgia is a chronic and complex disease whose management by patients requires a high level of commitment. Patient empowerment represents an important milestone in chronic disease treatment and control. We explored the impact of a peer social support network from the perspective of women with fibromyalgia. Methods: A generic qualitative design was proposed for the study, for which women who had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia were purposefully selected. Results: Three key themes emerged regarding the peer social support network:
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