ArticleWomen's health (London, England)
Help-seeking experiences and intimate partner support in vulvodynia: A qualitative exploration.
Article in Women's health (London, England). The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.
- Narratives on Sexuality in Vulvodynia and Endometriosis: A Qualitative Study on Italian Couples.Archives of sexual behavior · 2026Article
- Vulvodynia (chronic vulval pain).BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · 2026Article
- Psychosocial Resources and Emotional Support Needs in Women with Vulvodynia: A Lifespan Developmental and Biopsychosocial Perspective.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Psychological, Relational, and Fertility-Related Characteristics of Italian Women with Vulvodynia: A Comparative Study with Controls.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Article
- Aggravating and protective factors in patients' experiences of vulvodynia: a qualitative study with Italian women.BMC psychology · 2025Article
- A scoping review of vulvodynia research: Diagnosis, treatment, and care experiences.Women's health (London, England)Article
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Authors and funding
2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundVulvodynia is a poorly understood chronic pain condition characterized by persistent and unexplained pain in the vulva. Given the intimate nature of the pain, partners may play an important role in promoting self-management and help-seeking behaviours among women with vulvodynia.
objectivesThe current study aimed to explore the role of partner support in pain experiences and help-seeking behaviours among women with vulvodynia.
designA qualitative interpretive design was used.
methodsTen women with vulvodynia (
resultsThree themes around help-seeking experiences were constructed from the data: (1) 'It's Been a Battle' - Failed by the Healthcare System; (2) 'It's Just the Vulva' - Dismissed by Healthcare Professionals; and (3) 'I Diagnosed Myself' - The Patient Becomes the Expert. Participants described negative help-seeking experiences characterized by long delays to diagnosis, lack of awareness and understanding from healthcare professionals, minimization of symptoms, and having to advocate for and demand care. A further three themes pertaining to partner support were also developed: (1) 'That Person to Listen to You' - Source of Emotional Support; (2) 'Why Don't You Try This?' - Finding Solutions Together; and (3) 'He Forgets that it's Still There' - Vulvodynia is a Foreign Concept. Partners provided emotional support and showed empathy and understanding, and practical support by accompanying women to medical appointments and help with pain management. However, participants felt partners' understanding of vulvodynia was limited and that this impacted their relationships.
conclusionsFindings highlight a lack of continuity of care and multidisciplinary approach to treatment, with help-seeking experiences being mainly negative in this sample. Increasing public awareness of vulvodynia and improving healthcare access is crucial to improving physical and psychological outcomes for this group. Partners can play an important role in supporting people with vulvodynia; however, other outlets of support should be further explored.
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