The Disease Experience of Women with Granulomatous Lobular Mastitis. A Qualitative Interview Study

Abstract

Background

The incidence of granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) is increasing year by year, and the breast wounds of women patients with GLM can develop into abscesses, fistulas, sinuses, and sometimes orange-like degeneration similar to malignant tumors, which seriously affects the quality of life of women patients with GLM. In China, breast wounds in women patients with GLM have not been better managed. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the disease experience of women patients with GLM, to provide a basis for the development of precise intervention and support strategies for women patients with GLM, and to further improve the quality of nursing management and enrich the research types of GLM.

Methods

In this study, 10 cases of GLM women patients from a tertiary hospital in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province were selected by purposive sampling. After obtaining the informed consent of GLM women patients, semi-structured interviews were conducted with GLM women patients using the interview outline to collect qualitative data. The interview was recorded, transcribed verbatim in the local language, and then translated into English, and the content analysis method was used to analyze the data. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (CORE-Q) checklist follows the report ‘s findings.

Results

Our study identified six themes: (a) Perception of the disease, (b) Emotional discomfort (c) Variety of changes (d) Lack of specific skills (e) Coping strategies adopted to rebuild health, (f) Expectation.

Conclusion

The experience of women with GLM is characterized by diversity and specificity. After experiencing physical trauma, most patients use support systems to change negative attitudes and rebuild physical and mental health. Family, hospital and society should be fully linked to strengthen the prevention of GLM and the popularization of nursing management knowledge; nurses should provide targeted nursing services. Nursing leaders should improve the medical security system, broaden the medical channels, and reduce the pain experience and pressure of patients.

Keywords:

• granulomatous lobular mastitis
• non-puerperal mastitis
• qualitative study
• nursing

Data Sharing Statement

Research data can be made available to interested parties upon reasonable request to the corresponding author.

Ethics Approval

Approval of this study was granted by the Research Ethics Committee of The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (reference number 2023-KLS-033-01). This study follows the basic ethical principles of medical research involving human subjects in the Helsinki Declaration. Informed consent was obtained from all participants, and all participants signed the informed consent form before the study began. All participants are aware of the purpose, methods and steps of the study, and participants have the right to withdraw from the study at any time. Each participant is informed and consents to the anonymous publication of their citations, interviews, personal information, and anonymous responses.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to the people involved in this study.

Author Contributions

All authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation, or in all these areas; took part in drafting, revising or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the Zhejiang Province Medical and Health Science and Technology Plan Project (2023KY866). The funders have no role in research design, data collection and analysis, publication, manuscript writing.