SAT0649-HPR Women with Early RA Prefer To Use Interaction and Adjustment Strategies To Deal with Their Everyday Life Dilemmas: The Tira Project)
Authors: A. Sverker, M. Björk, I. Thyberg, G. Östlund
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2016)

<h3>Background</h3> Due to advancements in medications and treatment, many patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have high expectations of maintaining health, even though they still report participation restrictions in daily life. More women than men RA are affected and women have higher disease activity and more disability than men. Thereby there is a need for further exploration of women9s perspective in order to provide tailored multi professional interventions. <h3>Objectives</h3> The aim of this study was to explore RA women9s strategies for dealing with the dilemmas in everyday life. <h3>Methods</h3> The data collection was conducted with semi-structured interviews based on the Critical Incident Technique (CIT) [1]. The sample consists of women with early RA (n=35). The strategies for dealing with RA dilemmas of everyday life were analyzed and categorized using content analysis [2] and linked to the International classification of functioning, disability and health (ICF) domains [3]. This study is part of a longitudinal RA project approved by the Research Ethics Committee at Linkoping University (M168–05 T84–09). <h3>Results</h3> The women with early RA described four types of health strategies; interaction, adjustment, avoidance and acceptance. The interaction strategy was most frequently used, however often in combination with adjustment or avoidance strategies. The <i>interaction strategy</i> included to verbally express needs and wants and to interact with others. More easily said, to talk about the problem. In the <i>adjustment strategy</i> new behaviors and habits were developed to deal with the experienced participation restriction or the everyday life dilemma. The <i>avoidance strategy</i> included to deliberate avoid possible participation restrictions, and the <i>acceptance strategy</i> was identified by utterances that included descriptions of accepting the experienced situation or restriction. The everyday dilemmas experienced where related to several of ICF domains such as dressing, eating, drinking, driving, preparing meals, formal and informal relationships, interpersonal interactions and family relationships, employed work, and in leisure activities. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Women with early RA used combined health strategies to deal with everyday life dilemmas and participation restrictions. Especially the interaction strategy was preferred which could be argued to be an important facilitator for communication within health promotion initiatives and in rehabilitation. This highlights the importance of that health professionals, colleagues, family members and other persons in the social environment listen to women9s articulations in order to support and decrease women9s participation restrictions in early RA. <h3>References</h3> Flanagan C. The critical incident technique. Psychol Bull 1954; 51:327–358. Patton M. Qualitative research &amp; evaluation methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications; 2002. World Health Organization. (2001). ICF: international classification of functioning, disability and health. WHO. Geneva. <h3>Disclosure of Interest</h3> None declared