Aim: To review the evidence of the existing literature on the impact of guided self‐determination across methodologies in different healthcare settings.Methods: An integrated five‐stage review.Results: Forty‐five eligible papers were included. Guided self‐determination was applied in full‐ or small‐scale, or combined with another intervention or approach in different healthcare settings handling, for example diabetes, stroke survivorship, schizophrenia, attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder and medical disorder, gynaecological and breast cancer, endometriosis, persons with chronic pain, persons in haemodialysis and intensive care survivors. The included studies covered 12 randomised trials, 26 qualitative and seven papers of different methodology. A statistically significant effect was found in three trials. Six main themes describe the qualitative findings across papers on patients: (1) Guided self‐determination reduces disease‐related loneliness, (2) Insight enables integration of life and disease, (3) Reflection sheets—appreciated but challenging tool to prompt insights and person‐specific knowledge, (4) New person‐specific knowledge enables person‐centred support, (5) Feeling seen and believed in a new and trusted relationship and (6) Exchange of knowledge enables the development of life skills. Four themes describe the healthcare professionals' experience: (1) Change of usual practice—a decision from above, (2) A new role—unlearning previous behaviour and need for support, (3) Reflection sheets as facilitators and barriers and (4) Discovering the benefits of changing to a person‐centred approach.Conclusion: Overall, guided self‐determination proved to have a great impact on patient important outcomes and was useful and well‐accepted by the majority of patients and healthcare professionals. Albeit guided self‐determination is not a ‘one size fits all’ method. Continuous training and supervision of professionals are a necessary mean when implementing guided self‐determination to enhance adoption and sustainability in clinical practice.
1 August 2015 in European Journal of Oncology Nursing
Background: Although gynaecological cancer's negative effects on sexual function are well known, most studies on the subject have not included vulvar cancer patients or a multidimensional perspective on sexual health. Therefore, this review aimed to address this research gap and explored the impact of vulvar cancer on women's sexual health from a multidimensional perspective.Methodology: An integrated review was conducted, as described by Whittemore and Knafl. The PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Embase databases were searched in March 2021 and updated in August 2022 and March 2023. The data were thematically analysed using NVivo, and the PRISMA‐ScR and ENTREQ guidelines were followed.Findings: The following themes were identified in the 28 reviewed articles: impact of a changed female body, impact on women's sexual identity, consequences for women's sexual relationships and unmet needs and loneliness caused by taboos about sexual health.Discussion: Women's impaired sexual health after vulvar cancer points to a great need to understand and holistically investigate sexual health. In addition, healthcare professionals have an obligation to care for the sexual health issues of patients with vulvar cancer. However, most questionnaires used in the selected studies revealed a narrow understanding of sexual health and focused on sexuality as a genital activity.Conclusion: The sexual health of women with vulvar cancer was tabooed and stigmatised for patients and healthcare professionals. Consequently, women received sparse sexual guidance, felt isolated and had unmet needs.Implications for clinical practice: Healthcare professionals need knowledge and training on how to break taboos and address the sexual needs of vulvar cancer patients. Systematic screenings for sexual health needs should be conducted using a multidimensional perspective.Trial and protocol registration: The protocol was preregistered at the Open Science Framework (www.osf.io), registration DOI: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/YDA2QPatient or public contribution: No patient or public contribution.
18 September 2014 in Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences