Qualitative Research On The Psychological Experience Of Patients With Azoospermia

ObjectiveTo explore the real psychological experience of patients with Azoospermia through qualitative research, so as to develop targeted psychological interventions and thereby ensure the synchronization of treatment in physical and mental treatment.MethodPhenomenological method of qualitative research was used in this study. Based on the purposive sampling method and data saturation principle,10 cases of azoospermia were selected from the andrology clinic of a general hospital in Linyi City. The true psychological experience of patients with Azoospermia were explored and recorded through the semi-structured depth interview in relaxed environment. By Colaizzi seven-step method, the obtained data were rearranged, converted and analyzed, and then verified with the original patient and raw materials. Finally, the most representative connotation including the theme and several subthemes were summarized from these data.ResultsThe psychological experience of patients with Azoospermia can be summarized as the following three themes.Theme 1:Patients with Azoospermia had various of somatization symptoms. They took great pressure and pain in the long course of medical treatment, with a variety of somatic symptoms. For instance, they had different degrees of headache, dizziness, palpitation, chest tightness, cold sweats, as well as urinary frequency, urgency, dysuria and other urinary symptoms.Theme 2:Patients with Azoospermia had complex emotional and behavioral responses. Due to the influence of traditional fertility concept and the restriction by unbalanced health resources, poor reproductive health knowledge and economic conditions, the patients appeared different degrees of negative emotions such as shock and disbelief, self-abasement, anxiety and depression, as well as changes in sexual behavior.Theme 3:Patients with Azoospermia showed significant social maladjustment. They suffered multiple pressures, with varying degrees of interpersonal barriers, lack of role identity, and the change of life values.ConclusionPatients with Azoospermia are under enormous psychological pressure, with different levels of somatization, complex emotional responses and social maladaptive behavior. Effective support systems and targeted psychological interventions are urgently needed for these patients with reproductive health defects to help them restore the family and social functions, and promote human reproductive health.