Experiences of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis interacting with health care and the use of a digital self-care application: a qualitative interview study
Objectives Over the last few decades, there have been significant improvements in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), with the development of new treatments and guidelines for teamwork and patient self-care and access to digital tools. This study aimed to explore the experiences of individua...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2023-12-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/12/e072274.full |
| _version_ | 1797301256047296512 |
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| author | Karin Schölin Bywall Jennifer Viberg Johansson Hanna Blyckert |
| author_facet | Karin Schölin Bywall Jennifer Viberg Johansson Hanna Blyckert |
| author_sort | Karin Schölin Bywall |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives Over the last few decades, there have been significant improvements in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), with the development of new treatments and guidelines for teamwork and patient self-care and access to digital tools. This study aimed to explore the experiences of individuals with RA interacting with healthcare. It also looked at how a self-care application, an educational programme called the ‘healthcare encounter’, improved patient–doctor communication.Design Semistructured interviews were conducted, and qualitative content analysis was performed.Setting The potential participants, individuals with established, or under investigation for, RA diagnosis at rheumatology clinics in Sweden, were asked to participate in the study via a digital self-care application called the Elsa Science Self-care app.Participants Ten interviews were performed with participants from nine clinics following a meeting with the rheumatologist or other healthcare personnel between September 2022 and October 2022. Phrases, sentences or paragraphs referring to experiences from healthcare meetings and opinions about the digital programme were identified and coded. Codes that reflected similar concepts were grouped; subcategories were formulated, and categories were connected to their experiences and opinions.Results Among our participants, three main categories emerged: the availability of healthcare, individual efforts to have a healthier life and personal interaction with healthcare. Participants described that the ‘healthcare encounter’ educational programme can be a source of information, which confirms, supports and creates a sense of control.Conclusion The participants valued being seen and taking part in a dialogue when they had prepared themselves (observed symptoms over time and prepared questions). The implementation of digital self-care applications might need to be incorporated into the healthcare setting, so that both the patients and the healthcare personnel have a shared understanding. Collaboration is essential in this context. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T23:19:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-637d76515b804aa2a6027da059561049 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T23:19:54Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-637d76515b804aa2a6027da0595610492024-02-21T07:35:09ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552023-12-01131210.1136/bmjopen-2023-072274Experiences of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis interacting with health care and the use of a digital self-care application: a qualitative interview studyKarin Schölin Bywall0Jennifer Viberg Johansson1Hanna Blyckert2Centre for Research Ethics & Bioethics, Uppsala University Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala, SwedenCentre for Research Ethics & Bioethics, Uppsala University Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala, SwedenElsa Science, Stockholm, SwedenObjectives Over the last few decades, there have been significant improvements in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), with the development of new treatments and guidelines for teamwork and patient self-care and access to digital tools. This study aimed to explore the experiences of individuals with RA interacting with healthcare. It also looked at how a self-care application, an educational programme called the ‘healthcare encounter’, improved patient–doctor communication.Design Semistructured interviews were conducted, and qualitative content analysis was performed.Setting The potential participants, individuals with established, or under investigation for, RA diagnosis at rheumatology clinics in Sweden, were asked to participate in the study via a digital self-care application called the Elsa Science Self-care app.Participants Ten interviews were performed with participants from nine clinics following a meeting with the rheumatologist or other healthcare personnel between September 2022 and October 2022. Phrases, sentences or paragraphs referring to experiences from healthcare meetings and opinions about the digital programme were identified and coded. Codes that reflected similar concepts were grouped; subcategories were formulated, and categories were connected to their experiences and opinions.Results Among our participants, three main categories emerged: the availability of healthcare, individual efforts to have a healthier life and personal interaction with healthcare. Participants described that the ‘healthcare encounter’ educational programme can be a source of information, which confirms, supports and creates a sense of control.Conclusion The participants valued being seen and taking part in a dialogue when they had prepared themselves (observed symptoms over time and prepared questions). The implementation of digital self-care applications might need to be incorporated into the healthcare setting, so that both the patients and the healthcare personnel have a shared understanding. Collaboration is essential in this context.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/12/e072274.full |
| spellingShingle | Karin Schölin Bywall Jennifer Viberg Johansson Hanna Blyckert Experiences of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis interacting with health care and the use of a digital self-care application: a qualitative interview study BMJ Open |
| title | Experiences of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis interacting with health care and the use of a digital self-care application: a qualitative interview study |
| title_full | Experiences of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis interacting with health care and the use of a digital self-care application: a qualitative interview study |
| title_fullStr | Experiences of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis interacting with health care and the use of a digital self-care application: a qualitative interview study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Experiences of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis interacting with health care and the use of a digital self-care application: a qualitative interview study |
| title_short | Experiences of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis interacting with health care and the use of a digital self-care application: a qualitative interview study |
| title_sort | experiences of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis interacting with health care and the use of a digital self care application a qualitative interview study |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/12/e072274.full |
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