Date of Award

May 2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Communication Studies

Committee Member

Travers Scott

Committee Member

Kristen Okamoto

Committee Member

Leland Fecher

Abstract

This is a qualitative study, regarding women with the chronic pain condition endometriosis, utilizing in-depth interviews. Endometriosis is a chronic pain condition in which the tissue of the uterus is found outside the uterine cavern. This tissue leads to many symptoms that can affect a woman’s social, personal, and professional life. Guiding literature on the history of women’s health, validation through diagnosis, patient-provider relationships, social support, and dialogism in health communication were used to inform this research. A narrative analysis approach was used to analyze the findings which consisted of four narratives: manifestations of pain, social support, patient-provider communication and what diagnosis means.

Keywords: endometriosis, diagnosis, dialogism, doctor-patient relationships, chronic pain, women’s health, gender

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