Strabismic Adults' Expectations of Psychosocial Support From Healthcare Professionals–A Qualitative Descriptive Study

ABSTRACT Background and Aims Strabismus, an eye misalignment, impacts the functional and psychosocial health‐related quality of life in adult patients. Corrective surgery generally improves adults' health‐related quality of life. Previous research reports that strabismic adults with a psychosoc...

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Main Authors: Anna Mason, Katja Joronen, Laura Lindberg, Marika Kajander, Nina Fagerholm, Anja Rantanen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-05-01
Series:Health Science Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.70698
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author Anna Mason
Katja Joronen
Laura Lindberg
Marika Kajander
Nina Fagerholm
Anja Rantanen
author_facet Anna Mason
Katja Joronen
Laura Lindberg
Marika Kajander
Nina Fagerholm
Anja Rantanen
author_sort Anna Mason
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Background and Aims Strabismus, an eye misalignment, impacts the functional and psychosocial health‐related quality of life in adult patients. Corrective surgery generally improves adults' health‐related quality of life. Previous research reports that strabismic adults with a psychosocial influence of the condition may benefit from preoperative psychosocial support, although what such support should consist of is unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to describe strabismic adults' expectations of psychosocial support from healthcare professionals. Methods The study has a qualitative descriptive design. It included 12 semi‐structured interviews with purposefully recruited patients who had experienced the psychosocial influences of strabismus. The data were analyzed by inductive content analysis. Results Strabismic adult patients described their expectations for psychosocial support, consisting of education about strabismus, genuine encounters with strabismus experts, accessible support, and available peer support. The participants explained that strabismus specialists should provide tailored education for patients, the public, and other healthcare professionals. They shared that strabismus professionals should ask about patients' psychosocial well‐being—that by intently listening, openly discussing, and validating patients' experiences, they could support their well‐being. Psychological care provided by nurses and psychologists should be easily accessible, supportive, and timely for children and adolescents. Participants also expected professionals to guide them to available peer support. Conclusion Strabismic adult patients dealing with the condition's psychosocial burden expect psychosocial support from strabismus experts. This study's results can be used to improve psychosocial care in clinical strabismus services.
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spelling doaj-art-797011cba5f34a4e93ff4fc0b18e1af62025-08-20T03:39:21ZengWileyHealth Science Reports2398-88352025-05-0185n/an/a10.1002/hsr2.70698Strabismic Adults' Expectations of Psychosocial Support From Healthcare Professionals–A Qualitative Descriptive StudyAnna Mason0Katja Joronen1Laura Lindberg2Marika Kajander3Nina Fagerholm4Anja Rantanen5Faculty of Social Sciences, Health Sciences Tampere University Tampere FinlandDepartment of Nursing Science University of Turku Turku FinlandHUS Helsinki University Hospital Head and Neck Center and Helsinki University Helsinki FinlandHUS Helsinki University Hospital Head and Neck Center and Helsinki University Helsinki FinlandHUS Helsinki University Hospital Head and Neck Center and Helsinki University Helsinki FinlandFaculty of Social Sciences, Health Sciences Tampere University Tampere FinlandABSTRACT Background and Aims Strabismus, an eye misalignment, impacts the functional and psychosocial health‐related quality of life in adult patients. Corrective surgery generally improves adults' health‐related quality of life. Previous research reports that strabismic adults with a psychosocial influence of the condition may benefit from preoperative psychosocial support, although what such support should consist of is unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to describe strabismic adults' expectations of psychosocial support from healthcare professionals. Methods The study has a qualitative descriptive design. It included 12 semi‐structured interviews with purposefully recruited patients who had experienced the psychosocial influences of strabismus. The data were analyzed by inductive content analysis. Results Strabismic adult patients described their expectations for psychosocial support, consisting of education about strabismus, genuine encounters with strabismus experts, accessible support, and available peer support. The participants explained that strabismus specialists should provide tailored education for patients, the public, and other healthcare professionals. They shared that strabismus professionals should ask about patients' psychosocial well‐being—that by intently listening, openly discussing, and validating patients' experiences, they could support their well‐being. Psychological care provided by nurses and psychologists should be easily accessible, supportive, and timely for children and adolescents. Participants also expected professionals to guide them to available peer support. Conclusion Strabismic adult patients dealing with the condition's psychosocial burden expect psychosocial support from strabismus experts. This study's results can be used to improve psychosocial care in clinical strabismus services.https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.70698health‐related quality of lifeinductive content analysispsychosocial supportqualitative researchstrabismus
spellingShingle Anna Mason
Katja Joronen
Laura Lindberg
Marika Kajander
Nina Fagerholm
Anja Rantanen
Strabismic Adults' Expectations of Psychosocial Support From Healthcare Professionals–A Qualitative Descriptive Study
Health Science Reports
health‐related quality of life
inductive content analysis
psychosocial support
qualitative research
strabismus
title Strabismic Adults' Expectations of Psychosocial Support From Healthcare Professionals–A Qualitative Descriptive Study
title_full Strabismic Adults' Expectations of Psychosocial Support From Healthcare Professionals–A Qualitative Descriptive Study
title_fullStr Strabismic Adults' Expectations of Psychosocial Support From Healthcare Professionals–A Qualitative Descriptive Study
title_full_unstemmed Strabismic Adults' Expectations of Psychosocial Support From Healthcare Professionals–A Qualitative Descriptive Study
title_short Strabismic Adults' Expectations of Psychosocial Support From Healthcare Professionals–A Qualitative Descriptive Study
title_sort strabismic adults expectations of psychosocial support from healthcare professionals a qualitative descriptive study
topic health‐related quality of life
inductive content analysis
psychosocial support
qualitative research
strabismus
url https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.70698
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