“Ho il cancro?” Papillomavirus, simbolizzazioni di malattia e suggerimenti di buona pratica

[Autom. eng. transl.] Introduction. Papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections, responsible for about 70% of cervical cancer cases. Diagnosis is associated with anxiety and depression, especially in the female population. However, there is a lack of intervention programs and screening policies consistent with the needs of women. The aim of the present study is to investigate the subjective experience of disease in women with HPV, with a specific focus on the processes of meaning processing and affective symbolization of the disease. Method: Ten patients with HPV, aged between 25 and 45, were interviewed at a specialized center immediately after the visit. Participants were encouraged to share their illness experience through a narrative interview. The textual analysis of the transcripts of the interviews was carried out according to the coordinates of the Phenomenological-Interpretative Analysis (Smith, Flowers, & Larkin, 2009). Results: Four thematic nuclei (meaning matrices) have been identified around which the narration of the interviewees is articulated: "feeling confused" by the lack of information, or on the contrary by an excess of material that is difficult to organize and to understand; "Feeling betrayed (anger)" by the adverse destiny ("Why me?"), Or by the partner, suspected of irresponsible behavior - or even betrayal - in the past or in the present; "Feeling dirty (shame)", for the body marked by a virus represented as "a disgusting thing", attributable to poor care for one's person; "Feeling not understood" by the partner and by the significant others, which is why HPV represents a problem to be faced in solitude. Conclusions: The affective meanings and symbolizations of HPV play an important role in the women's disease experience, characterized by intense emotional distress. Understanding these matrixes of meaning can effectively guide prevention and support programs.