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“Mastering a New Life Situation” – Patients’ Preferences of Treatment Outcomes in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis – A Longitudinal Qualitative Study

Landgren, Ellen LU orcid ; Bremander, Ann LU ; Lindqvist, Elisabet LU orcid ; Nylander, Maria ; Elst, Kristien Van der and Larsson, Ingrid LU orcid (2020) In Patient Preference and Adherence 14. p.1421-1433
Abstract

Purpose: To explore patients’ preferred treatment outcomes during their first two years with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Patients and Methods: A qualitative, longitudinal, multicenter study with interviews at two time points was performed in Sweden. Individual interviews were conducted at time point 1 with 31 patients with RA, defined as disease duration of ≤1 year and treatment for 3–7 months. Seven focus group interviews and five individual interviews were conducted at time point 2 with 22 patients 12–20 months after treatment initiation. The interviews were analyzed using the Qualitative Analysis Guide of Leuven. A core category with four related concepts emerged. Results: The core finding of patient-preferred treatment outcomes was... (More)

Purpose: To explore patients’ preferred treatment outcomes during their first two years with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Patients and Methods: A qualitative, longitudinal, multicenter study with interviews at two time points was performed in Sweden. Individual interviews were conducted at time point 1 with 31 patients with RA, defined as disease duration of ≤1 year and treatment for 3–7 months. Seven focus group interviews and five individual interviews were conducted at time point 2 with 22 patients 12–20 months after treatment initiation. The interviews were analyzed using the Qualitative Analysis Guide of Leuven. A core category with four related concepts emerged. Results: The core finding of patient-preferred treatment outcomes was “mastering a new life situation”. Patients preferred to experience control of the disease by controlling the symptoms and by experiencing absence of disease. To experience autonomy by regaining former activity level, experiencing independence, and being empowered was another preferred outcome. Patients preferred to regain identity through being able to participate, experience well-being, and regain former self-image. To experience joy in everyday life through vitality and believing in the future was another preferred outcome. Patients’ preferences developed over time from the acute phase of controlling the symptoms and wanting to return to the life they lived prior to diagnosis, to a more preventive way of self-management and empower-ment to master the new life situation. Conclusion: The patients’ preferred treatment outcomes during the first two years with RA were to master their new life situation and changed from a preference to return to a life lived prior disease onset, to a preference of living with quality of life, despite RA. This study increases the understanding of patients’ preferred treatment outcomes in the early disease course and can be a foundation for tailoring interventions to be more person-centered and to improve long-term treatment outcomes.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Focus groups, Interviews, Multicenter, Patient perspective, Rheumatic diseases
in
Patient Preference and Adherence
volume
14
pages
13 pages
publisher
Dove Medical Press Ltd.
external identifiers
  • pmid:32884244
  • scopus:85089601443
ISSN
1177-889X
DOI
10.2147/PPA.S253507
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f9489721-b099-4cdc-8aaa-60e19622ef94
date added to LUP
2020-08-28 14:18:39
date last changed
2024-04-03 12:33:00
@article{f9489721-b099-4cdc-8aaa-60e19622ef94,
  abstract     = {{<p>Purpose: To explore patients’ preferred treatment outcomes during their first two years with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Patients and Methods: A qualitative, longitudinal, multicenter study with interviews at two time points was performed in Sweden. Individual interviews were conducted at time point 1 with 31 patients with RA, defined as disease duration of ≤1 year and treatment for 3–7 months. Seven focus group interviews and five individual interviews were conducted at time point 2 with 22 patients 12–20 months after treatment initiation. The interviews were analyzed using the Qualitative Analysis Guide of Leuven. A core category with four related concepts emerged. Results: The core finding of patient-preferred treatment outcomes was “mastering a new life situation”. Patients preferred to experience control of the disease by controlling the symptoms and by experiencing absence of disease. To experience autonomy by regaining former activity level, experiencing independence, and being empowered was another preferred outcome. Patients preferred to regain identity through being able to participate, experience well-being, and regain former self-image. To experience joy in everyday life through vitality and believing in the future was another preferred outcome. Patients’ preferences developed over time from the acute phase of controlling the symptoms and wanting to return to the life they lived prior to diagnosis, to a more preventive way of self-management and empower-ment to master the new life situation. Conclusion: The patients’ preferred treatment outcomes during the first two years with RA were to master their new life situation and changed from a preference to return to a life lived prior disease onset, to a preference of living with quality of life, despite RA. This study increases the understanding of patients’ preferred treatment outcomes in the early disease course and can be a foundation for tailoring interventions to be more person-centered and to improve long-term treatment outcomes.</p>}},
  author       = {{Landgren, Ellen and Bremander, Ann and Lindqvist, Elisabet and Nylander, Maria and Elst, Kristien Van der and Larsson, Ingrid}},
  issn         = {{1177-889X}},
  keywords     = {{Focus groups; Interviews; Multicenter; Patient perspective; Rheumatic diseases}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{1421--1433}},
  publisher    = {{Dove Medical Press Ltd.}},
  series       = {{Patient Preference and Adherence}},
  title        = {{“Mastering a New Life Situation” – Patients’ Preferences of Treatment Outcomes in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis – A Longitudinal Qualitative Study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/PPA.S253507}},
  doi          = {{10.2147/PPA.S253507}},
  volume       = {{14}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}