Uterine fibroid: a socially malignant illness in Haiti

Abstract

This qualitative study documented the effects of uterine fibroids on the suffering of women in Haiti. It makes a unique contribution by re-socializing this disease, by making visible the social inequalities and what is at stake for the women, for their families, and for healthcare delivery. Uterine fibroid is a benign tumor of the uterus, common in gynecology, but profoundly malignant in how it affects women’s lives. Little has been reported on their lived experiences. Haiti has historical, social, and economic factors that hinder the search for treatment. The study explores how and why patients seek surgical care for uterine fibroids at Mirebalais University Hospital. Seventeen in-depth interviews with patients and seven accompanying family members were conducted and recorded in Creole and translated into English, along with participant observations in two patients’ homes. Content and narrative analysis were done iteratively, and the processual ethnographic method was used to relate our findings to Haitian history, to the context of the study, and to future implications. The women’s experience of accompaniment, their suffering in their pèlerinage (care-seeking journey), and the troubling social impact of uterine fibroids make it a socially malignant illness. The study shows that it is critical to address the suffering of women afflicted with uterine fibroids by strengthening the Haitian health system, improving economic advantages, and establishing ways for them to gain access to social goods and participate in community activities.