ArticlePloS one2022
Challenges and coping mechanisms among women living with unrepaired obstetric fistula in Ethiopia: A phenomenological study.
Article in PloS one, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 8 citations in OpenAlex.
- The lived experiences and coping mechanisms of women with obstetric fistula in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative evidence.Women's health (London, England)Pooled it
- Socio-medical consequences of living with obstetric fistula: a phenomenological study of the lived experiences of women in the Tamale Metropolis, Ghana.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Intersecting stigma, social exclusion and coping mechanisms among women living with obstetric fistula in rural northern Ghana: a qualitative study.Frontiers in reproductive health · 2026Article
- Community perceptions and determinants of obstetric fistula across gender lines.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Supporting Women after Obstetric Fistula Surgery to Enhance Their Social Participation and Inclusion.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
- Women's experiences of care after stillbirth and obstetric fistula: A phenomenological study in Kenya.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2023Article
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
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No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionObstetric fistula remains a debilitating complication of childbirth and maternal morbidity in developing countries. Few studies document the challenges and coping mechanisms among women living with obstetric fistula in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the challenges and coping mechanisms among women with obstetric fistula in Ethiopia.
methodsA phenomenological study was employed among purposively selected eleven women with obstetric fistula and three key informants at five fistula treatment centers in Ethiopia. An in-depth interview was conducted, audio-recorded, and transcribed into a Microsoft Word document. The transcripts were imported into Atlas. ti version 8.4 for thematic analyses.
resultsPainful social life, consequences of fistula, and coping mechanisms with fistula problems were the main themes in this study. Difficult social life, stigma, discrimination, impaired marital status; psychological, physical, sexual, and reproductive health problems were the major challenges for women with obstetric fistulas. Women with fistulas used coping mechanisms such as-going to spiritual sites and drinking alcohol to cope with their fistula disease; separating themselves from community participation and living alone in the forest to cope with a painful social life; restricting the amount of drinking water and wearing many clothes at a time to cope with wetness and odors, and allowing their husband to marry a new wife to cope with the impaired marital responsibilities.
conclusionWomen with obstetric fistulas encountered challenges such as a painful social life, impaired marital status, psychological, physical, sexual, and reproductive health problems; and used coping mechanisms with their fistula condition, difficult social life, and impaired marital responsibility that may have an added negative effect on their overall health. Therefore, policymakers need to prioritize the availability and early utilization of obstetric fistula surgery in all settings for all women living with obstetric fistulas to restore their holistic health.
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