Effects of genital herpes on well-being

What was your motivation for undertaking the review and why did you choose to study this particular topic?

My motivation for selecting this topic stems from my experiences in clinical practice as a sexual health nurse. Although sexual health issues are often distressing for people, I found the psychological, social and physical distress associated with primary and recurrent genital herpes particularly striking. Patients would often talk about the stigma that they associated with the virus, with many describing a sense of ‘dirtiness’ and social isolation. They also talked about the pain caused by the lesions and, at times, their revulsion at them. I wanted to see if we could draw clear recommendations for practice that would enhance people’s health-related quality of life in relation to their experience of the virus.

Why did you select a mixed methods approach for the study? 

We chose a mixed methods approach so that we could comprehensively review all of the existing literature in the field. We felt that it was important to do so as health related quality of life can be explored both qualitatively and quantitatively.

Were there any particular challenges you faced while undertaking the study? 

Yes, time! Conducting a mixed methods systematic review is very rewarding but it really does take a lot of time. If we had not been such a fantastic team, particularly with Deborah Edwards’ and Judith Carrier’s experience and guidance, this review would have never come to fruition.

Who will find this study most useful, and what value does this study have for them?

Ultimately we hope that people who have genital herpes find this review most useful as it has given prominence to the significance of the virus for the individual. Its implications for clinical practice are limited by the paucity of current literature in the field, but the review will serve as a fantastic platform for researchers globally, as it has clearly outlined the need for high quality research to examine the effect of genital herpes on the individual’s wellbeing.

What are the key points or ‘takeaways’?

Genital herpes can elicit extreme emotional, social, relational and sexual distress. Healthcare professionals need to be aware of this so that they can ameliorate these emotions, make psychological support available and enable individuals to manage transmission risk. However, we currently don’t know which interventions are best in addressing the psychological implications of the virus and improving health related quality of life. Further high quality research is, therefore, required.

Reference

Bennett C, Rebafka A, Carrier J, Cook S, Edwards D. Impact of primary and recurrent genital herpes on the quality of  life of young people and adults. JBI Evid Synth. 2022;20(6):1406-73.
 

Resources

How to select between a convergent integrated and a convergent segregated approach when conducting a mixed methods review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIYckFYbWkg&t=615s

Step by step guidance for conducting a mixed methods systematic review:  https://jbi-global-wiki.refined.site/space/MANUAL/4687380/Chapter+8%3A+Mixed+methods+systematic+reviews