Exploring the Patterns, Practices, and Experiences of Military Women Who Managed Genitourinary Symptoms in Deployed Settings

Objective: To gain a better understanding of genitourinary (GU) health during deployment in the context of a military culture. Design: An ethnographic study design was selected to understand how military women managed GU symptoms during deployment. Setting: The deployed experiences were recalled from various locations around the world. Participants: The final sample consisted of 43 military women from the U. S. Army, Air Force, and Navy who were either deployed or had been deployed within the past year. Methods: Audio recorded interviews ranged from 30 to 75 min in length. Semistructured interviews were used to gather women's stories about their illness behaviors in the deployed setting. Formal interviews, informal interviews, and field notes were included in the data analysis. Results: Three themes were identified: (a) life in the deployed setting described the location women were referring when they experienced GU symptoms; (b) the dynamics of trust described individuals or entities that were trusted sources of information, supplies, or support; and (c) the sphere of control described the activities utilized to maintain health or manage GU symptoms. Conclusion: This study is significant to nursing research because it exposes the influence of culture on GU symptom management. Recommendations from this investigation include the following: provide better incremental, predeployment, and in-theater education for women and medics; inform leaders about the need to ensure the supply of self-care treatments and women's feminine hygiene products are available; and promote the role of family support stateside as a resource for information, supplies, and emotional support. JOGNN, 41, 293-302; 2012. DOI: 10.1111/j.1552-6909.2012.01347.x