Yomei Shaw1,2, Matthew Bradley3, Chen Zhang3, Alyssa Dominique4, Kaleb Michaud1,5, David McDonald3, Teresa A Simon4. 1. FORWARD, The National Databank for Rheumatic Diseases, Wichita, KS. 2. University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. 3. Lift1428, Chattanooga, TN. 4. Bristol-Myers Squibb, New York City, NY. 5. University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Resilience-the ability to recover from, and adapt successfully to, stressful situations-is a valuable resource for patients who live with chronic conditions. This qualitative study examines the development of resilience among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. We aimed to: 1) describe the resilience development process and 2) describe strategies used by patients to cultivate resilience. METHODS: Our approach combined ethnographic data collection and narrative analysis methods. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with adult RA patients in the United States. Interviewees were asked to discuss their experiences with diagnosis, living with RA, coping with challenges, treatment, and healthcare providers. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed to describe the stages of resilience development and identify patients' strategies for building/maintaining resilience. RESULTS: Eighteen patients were interviewed, aged 27-80 years and with RA duration of 5-41 years. Patient responses to challenging situations were grouped into three stages: 1) lacking capacity to handle the situation, 2) struggling but growing in capacity to handle the situation, and 3) mastery. Patients used 10 strategies to cultivate resilience: perseverance, exchanging social support, pursuing valued activities, flexibility, positive reframing, acceptance, humor, avoiding threatening thoughts, equanimity, and maintaining a sense of control. CONCLUSION: RA patients acquire resilience in a dynamic process of learning in response to new challenges. Patients use a combination of behavioral and emotion management strategies to cultivate resilience. Awareness of these strategies may benefit patients, healthcare providers and researchers developing behavioral interventions and social support programs in the context of RA and other chronic diseases. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
OBJECTIVE: Resilience-the ability to recover from, and adapt successfully to, stressful situations-is a valuable resource for patients who live with chronic conditions. This qualitative study examines the development of resilience among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. We aimed to: 1) describe the resilience development process and 2) describe strategies used by patients to cultivate resilience. METHODS: Our approach combined ethnographic data collection and narrative analysis methods. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with adult RApatients in the United States. Interviewees were asked to discuss their experiences with diagnosis, living with RA, coping with challenges, treatment, and healthcare providers. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed to describe the stages of resilience development and identify patients' strategies for building/maintaining resilience. RESULTS: Eighteen patients were interviewed, aged 27-80 years and with RA duration of 5-41 years. Patient responses to challenging situations were grouped into three stages: 1) lacking capacity to handle the situation, 2) struggling but growing in capacity to handle the situation, and 3) mastery. Patients used 10 strategies to cultivate resilience: perseverance, exchanging social support, pursuing valued activities, flexibility, positive reframing, acceptance, humor, avoiding threatening thoughts, equanimity, and maintaining a sense of control. CONCLUSION:RApatients acquire resilience in a dynamic process of learning in response to new challenges. Patients use a combination of behavioral and emotion management strategies to cultivate resilience. Awareness of these strategies may benefit patients, healthcare providers and researchers developing behavioral interventions and social support programs in the context of RA and other chronic diseases. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Authors: Jenny Leese; Catherine L Backman; Jasmin K Ma; Cheryl Koehn; Alison M Hoens; Kelly English; Eileen Davidson; Shanon McQuitty; James Gavin; Jo Adams; Stephanie Therrien; Linda C Li Journal: Health Expect Date: 2021-08-17 Impact factor: 3.318
Authors: Janice M Morse; Jacqueline Kent-Marvick; Lisa A Barry; Jennifer Harvey; Esther Narkie Okang; Elizabeth A Rudd; Ching-Yu Wang; Marcia R Williams Journal: Glob Qual Nurs Res Date: 2021-03-31