Sara Ma
York St John University, United Kingdom
Biography
Sara Ma is a nurse lecturer and researcher based within the UK with specialist expertise in inflammatory bowel disease. Her research is focused on advancing holistic, patient-centred nursing care through exploring the psychosocial dimensions of long-term conditions. Sara has been funded by the UK National Institute of Health and Social Care Research to examine men’s sexual wellbeing in IBD and its implications for clinical practice and service development. She is committed to improving clinician confidence in addressing sensitive health topics, promoting men’s health issues, and translating research findings into practical guidance for nurses and the wider multidisciplinary team.
Research Interest
Sexual health and wellbeing are fundamental to quality of life, yet remain poorly addressed in men living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Existing research has predominantly focused on erectile dysfunction, providing limited insight into the broader relational, emotional and identity-related impacts of the condition. This interpretive qualitative study aimed to explore men’s lived experiences of sexual health in IBD and generate clinically relevant knowledge to inform nursing practice. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 men diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis or IBD-unclassified. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using constant comparative thematic analysis.