Patient perspectives on the treatment for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis: a qualitative analysis

Abstract

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is an autoimmune disorder which can be accompanied by a myriad of symptoms. Conventional medicine currently treats only one of these symptoms, hypothyroidism, with thyroid hormone replacement therapy. The focus of this project was to obtain personal views from HT patients on their specific health care plan, satisfaction of the treatment offered, and overall burden of this disease. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain this information. Emerging themes included patient experiences with health care providers, symptoms experienced by patients, and treatment options offered to patients. Results suggest patient-centered care is absent from their experiences in various health care settings and current protocol for management of HT is not sufficient for alleviating many disease-related symptoms. Participants often look beyond their health care professional to better understand the disease and to seek out additional treatments. Complementary treatment options to standard therapy were strongly desired. Obtaining direct insight from the patient's perspective could be valuable for strengthening patient-provider relationships. Health care providers being mindful, informative, and empathic of patient views could improve patient's quality of care and encourage further treatment possibilities for individuals who suffer from symptoms of Hashimoto's.