Perception and Health Care Seeking Behaviors of Women with Uterine Fibroids

Elseady, Walaa Ahmed; Ahmed, , Manal Hassan; El-Adham, Azza Fouad; EL-Said, Faiza Mohammed

doi:10.21608/tsnj.2024.375682

Perception and Health Care Seeking Behaviors of Women with Uterine Fibroids

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ 1Demonstrator, Maternal and Neonatal Health Nursing Department, Tanta University, Egypt. 2Master student, Maternal and Neonatal Health Nursing Department, Tanta University, Egypt

² Professor, Maternal and Neonatal Health Nursing Department, Tanta University, Egypt.

³ Lecturer, Maternal and Neonatal Health Nursing Department, Tanta University, Egypt.

10.21608/tsnj.2024.375682

Abstract

Background: Uterine fibroids are benign tumors that impact the women's uterus during childbearing
years. Perception and health care seeking behaviors of women with uterine fibroids can have major
effects on their overall health, quality of life, and maternal morbidity and mortality rates. Aim: Was
to assess perception and health care seeking behaviors of women with uterine fibroids. Subjects and
Method: Design: A descriptive research design was used. Setting: The study was conducted in
Egypt at outpatient clinics and inpatient units of obstetrics and gynecological departments of: Tanta
University Hospitals and El-Menshawy General Hospital. Subjects: A convenient sample of 150
women was included. Tools: Three tools were used: Tool I: Women's knowledge regarding uterine
fibroids structured questionnaire; consisted of: Socio-demographic characteristics of the studied
women, obstetric and gynecological history, and women's knowledge regarding uterine fibroids. Tool
(II): Women's attitudes toward uterine fibroids. Tool (III): Health care seeking behaviors of women
with uterine fibroids. Results: Four fifths of the studied women had low level of knowledge
regarding uterine fibroids, the majority had positive attitudes, and less than three fifths had
unsatisfactory health care seeking behaviors regarding uterine fibroids. Significant positive
correlations were found between knowledge, attitudes, and health care seeking behaviors regarding
uterine fibroids. Conclusion: There was low level of knowledge, positive attitudes and unsatisfactory
health care seeking behaviors of the studied women with uterine fibroids. Recommendations: Health
educational programs regarding uterine fibroids should be implemented for women in their
childbearing years at all places, and communities.