Recurrent Vulvovaginal Thrush
Credits
Tori Ford
Tori Ford is an NIHR Doctoral Research Fellow in the Medical Sociology & Health Experiences Research Group, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford. The Interviews for this study were collected as part of her DPhil research on experiences of recurrent thrush. She is also the founder of Medical Herstory, a social impact organisation working to eliminate sexism, shame, and stigma from health experiences. Tori conducted all interviews, led the analysis, and wrote 18 topic summaries.
Abigail McNiven
Abi McNiven is a Senior Qualitative Researcher in the Medical Sociology & Health Experiences Research Group, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford. She has previously produced nine sections for the HEXI website and contributed to others. Abi contributed to analysis, was a research supervisor for the writing of the topic summaries, and wrote one topic summary for the site.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank all the people who shared their stories with us; without you none of this would be possible. Thank you to Julie Aiken for bringing participant designs to life by creating the animations that accompany people’s stories. Many thanks to my colleagues for lending their voices to participants who wished to remain anonymous. Thank you to my supervisors Professor Sue Ziebland, Dr. Sarah Tonkin-Crine, and Professor Gail Hayward for reviewing the website contents and offering valuable insight and encouragement. A special thanks to Ruth Sanders, Vanessa Eade, and Kristy Ravenhall for their work delivering this section.
We are grateful to the many individuals, charities, and organisations who helped support recruitment. Much appreciation to the team at Medical Herstory for helping design recruitment materials and stigma-busting recurrent thrush campaigns.
Thank you to the following members of the advisory panel who provided feedback, advice, and support throughout the study. A thank you also to Dr Sophie Rees for input on the diagnostic topic summaries. Lastly, a very big thank you to the patient representatives who helped design, guide, and complete this study from the very start, your influence runs all through this site.
Advisory Panel Members
Dr Riina Rautemaa-Richardson, Senior Lecturer in Infectious Diseases and Medical Education in the Institute of Inflammation and Repair, University of Manchester
Dr Caroline Owen, Consultant Dermatologist, Chair of British Association of Dermatologists Vulva Workstream, Education Lead for BSSVD
Dr Sharon Dixon, General Practitioner and NIHR Doctoral Research Fellow
Professor Claire Anderson, Professor of Social Pharmacy, University of Nottingham
Dr Jillian Pritchard, Consultant in Genitourinary Medicine and Sexual Health
Dr Claudia Chisari, Vulval Pain Society Representative, Vulvodynia Researcher, CEO of Femspace
Two members of the patient advisory group were also present at every meeting
Patient representatives
Our patient representative group included eight members: Erika, Alex, Patti, Sylvia, Tamsin, Bethan, Jessica Catchpole, and Sienna Mendez (pseudonym).
Funders
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This is a summary of independent research funded by a National Institute for Health and Social Care Research (NIHR) Doctoral Research Fellowship awarded to Tori Ford (Ref: NIHR302322). The views expressed are those of the authors, and not necessarily those of the NIHR.