Managing recurrent vulvovaginal thrush from patient and healthcare professional perspectives: a systematic review and thematic synthesis

<p><strong>Objective:</strong>&nbsp;This&nbsp;systematic review&nbsp;aims to identify what is known about patient and healthcare professional experiences of managing recurrent vulvovaginal&nbsp;thrush&nbsp;by synthesising published findings.</p> <p>&...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ford, T, Talbot, A, Hayward, G, Tonkin-Crine, S, Ziebland, S, McNiven, A
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2023
_version_ 1826311940429840384
author Ford, T
Talbot, A
Hayward, G
Tonkin-Crine, S
Ziebland, S
McNiven, A
author_facet Ford, T
Talbot, A
Hayward, G
Tonkin-Crine, S
Ziebland, S
McNiven, A
author_sort Ford, T
collection OXFORD
description <p><strong>Objective:</strong>&nbsp;This&nbsp;systematic review&nbsp;aims to identify what is known about patient and healthcare professional experiences of managing recurrent vulvovaginal&nbsp;thrush&nbsp;by synthesising published findings.</p> <p><strong>Methods:</strong>&nbsp;Five databases were searched for studies on patient and healthcare professional experiences managing recurrent thrush. Two reviewers independently screened and quality assessed qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies. Findings from eligible studies were thematically synthesised.</p> <p><strong>Results:</strong>&nbsp;720 papers were identified, and 29 were included. Four descriptive themes were developed to depict the repeated management of recurrent thrush. These themes were: (re)experiencing impacts, (re)identifying recurrent thrush, (re)considering consultations, and (re)trying&nbsp;treatments. An analytic high-order frame of &lsquo;interwoven and reoccurring uncertainties&rsquo; was used to understand these themes.</p> <p><strong>Conclusions:</strong>&nbsp;Patients and healthcare providers face uncertainties when managing recurrent thrush. The inconsistencies raised across papers suggests an unaddressed gap in knowledge about patient experiences and their informational and support needs; this includes insights about this condition&rsquo;s diagnosis, management, treatment, impacts, and meaning.</p> <p><strong>Practice implications:&nbsp;</strong>This review has implications for patient education,&nbsp;health promotion, and communication between patients and providers. Our interpretations suggest the need for more research and resources to help support patients and clinicians in managing this condition to promote more understanding, communication, and collaborative care.</p>
first_indexed 2024-03-07T08:18:42Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:6dc2e772-7dac-433a-930c-51ced280a90e
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-07T08:18:42Z
publishDate 2023
publisher Elsevier
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:6dc2e772-7dac-433a-930c-51ced280a90e2024-01-18T06:17:51ZManaging recurrent vulvovaginal thrush from patient and healthcare professional perspectives: a systematic review and thematic synthesisJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:6dc2e772-7dac-433a-930c-51ced280a90eEnglishSymplectic ElementsElsevier2023Ford, TTalbot, AHayward, GTonkin-Crine, SZiebland, SMcNiven, A<p><strong>Objective:</strong>&nbsp;This&nbsp;systematic review&nbsp;aims to identify what is known about patient and healthcare professional experiences of managing recurrent vulvovaginal&nbsp;thrush&nbsp;by synthesising published findings.</p> <p><strong>Methods:</strong>&nbsp;Five databases were searched for studies on patient and healthcare professional experiences managing recurrent thrush. Two reviewers independently screened and quality assessed qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies. Findings from eligible studies were thematically synthesised.</p> <p><strong>Results:</strong>&nbsp;720 papers were identified, and 29 were included. Four descriptive themes were developed to depict the repeated management of recurrent thrush. These themes were: (re)experiencing impacts, (re)identifying recurrent thrush, (re)considering consultations, and (re)trying&nbsp;treatments. An analytic high-order frame of &lsquo;interwoven and reoccurring uncertainties&rsquo; was used to understand these themes.</p> <p><strong>Conclusions:</strong>&nbsp;Patients and healthcare providers face uncertainties when managing recurrent thrush. The inconsistencies raised across papers suggests an unaddressed gap in knowledge about patient experiences and their informational and support needs; this includes insights about this condition&rsquo;s diagnosis, management, treatment, impacts, and meaning.</p> <p><strong>Practice implications:&nbsp;</strong>This review has implications for patient education,&nbsp;health promotion, and communication between patients and providers. Our interpretations suggest the need for more research and resources to help support patients and clinicians in managing this condition to promote more understanding, communication, and collaborative care.</p>
spellingShingle Ford, T
Talbot, A
Hayward, G
Tonkin-Crine, S
Ziebland, S
McNiven, A
Managing recurrent vulvovaginal thrush from patient and healthcare professional perspectives: a systematic review and thematic synthesis
title Managing recurrent vulvovaginal thrush from patient and healthcare professional perspectives: a systematic review and thematic synthesis
title_full Managing recurrent vulvovaginal thrush from patient and healthcare professional perspectives: a systematic review and thematic synthesis
title_fullStr Managing recurrent vulvovaginal thrush from patient and healthcare professional perspectives: a systematic review and thematic synthesis
title_full_unstemmed Managing recurrent vulvovaginal thrush from patient and healthcare professional perspectives: a systematic review and thematic synthesis
title_short Managing recurrent vulvovaginal thrush from patient and healthcare professional perspectives: a systematic review and thematic synthesis
title_sort managing recurrent vulvovaginal thrush from patient and healthcare professional perspectives a systematic review and thematic synthesis
work_keys_str_mv AT fordt managingrecurrentvulvovaginalthrushfrompatientandhealthcareprofessionalperspectivesasystematicreviewandthematicsynthesis
AT talbota managingrecurrentvulvovaginalthrushfrompatientandhealthcareprofessionalperspectivesasystematicreviewandthematicsynthesis
AT haywardg managingrecurrentvulvovaginalthrushfrompatientandhealthcareprofessionalperspectivesasystematicreviewandthematicsynthesis
AT tonkincrines managingrecurrentvulvovaginalthrushfrompatientandhealthcareprofessionalperspectivesasystematicreviewandthematicsynthesis
AT zieblands managingrecurrentvulvovaginalthrushfrompatientandhealthcareprofessionalperspectivesasystematicreviewandthematicsynthesis
AT mcnivena managingrecurrentvulvovaginalthrushfrompatientandhealthcareprofessionalperspectivesasystematicreviewandthematicsynthesis