Fear, fight, familiarize: the experiences of people living with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and taking oral medication
Purpose: In addition to becoming familiar with the life changing event of having a chronic illness and exploring its meaning in daily life, people with relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) are faced with important decisions about immunomodulating treatment. Biomedical research on the use of...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2019-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2019.1648946 |
| _version_ | 1797336070210191360 |
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| author | Eva Van Reenen Wieke Van Der Borg Merel Visse Hanneke Van Der Meide Leo Visser |
| author_facet | Eva Van Reenen Wieke Van Der Borg Merel Visse Hanneke Van Der Meide Leo Visser |
| author_sort | Eva Van Reenen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose: In addition to becoming familiar with the life changing event of having a chronic illness and exploring its meaning in daily life, people with relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) are faced with important decisions about immunomodulating treatment. Biomedical research on the use of Disease Modifying Therapies (DMTs) mostly focuses on adherence, conceptualized and understood as a behavioral act leading to a desired outcome. Less attention has been paid to the meaning for a person with RRMS of starting and continuing the use of DMTs. Studies on the experiences of people with RRMS taking orally administered DMTs are lacking. The aim of this phenomenological study was to examine the experiences of people with RRMS taking oral medication. Methods: The study was guided by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and Phenomenology of Practice. 25 persons with RRMS participated in in-depth interviews. Results: In general, participants of this study find themselves in alternating phases that vary by degree of experienced unfamiliarity or familiarity with concern to one’s illness, one’s changing body, and one’s new life. The meaning of taking medication is closely related to these phases. Conclusions: Adherence serves a purpose in the lifeworlds of participants. Medication is the embodiment of this purpose. The pill has inherent meaning. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T08:47:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e2227cced2474972b4dfd842c9bc9010 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1748-2623 1748-2631 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T08:47:40Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being |
| spelling | doaj.art-e2227cced2474972b4dfd842c9bc90102024-02-01T14:39:34ZengTaylor & Francis GroupInternational Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being1748-26231748-26312019-01-0114110.1080/17482631.2019.16489461648946Fear, fight, familiarize: the experiences of people living with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and taking oral medicationEva Van Reenen0Wieke Van Der Borg1Merel Visse2Hanneke Van Der Meide3Leo Visser4University of Humanistic StudiesVU University Medical CentreUniversity of Humanistic StudiesTilburg UniversityUniversity of Humanistic StudiesPurpose: In addition to becoming familiar with the life changing event of having a chronic illness and exploring its meaning in daily life, people with relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) are faced with important decisions about immunomodulating treatment. Biomedical research on the use of Disease Modifying Therapies (DMTs) mostly focuses on adherence, conceptualized and understood as a behavioral act leading to a desired outcome. Less attention has been paid to the meaning for a person with RRMS of starting and continuing the use of DMTs. Studies on the experiences of people with RRMS taking orally administered DMTs are lacking. The aim of this phenomenological study was to examine the experiences of people with RRMS taking oral medication. Methods: The study was guided by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and Phenomenology of Practice. 25 persons with RRMS participated in in-depth interviews. Results: In general, participants of this study find themselves in alternating phases that vary by degree of experienced unfamiliarity or familiarity with concern to one’s illness, one’s changing body, and one’s new life. The meaning of taking medication is closely related to these phases. Conclusions: Adherence serves a purpose in the lifeworlds of participants. Medication is the embodiment of this purpose. The pill has inherent meaning.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2019.1648946multiple sclerosisdisease modifying treatmentoral medicationqualitativephenomenology |
| spellingShingle | Eva Van Reenen Wieke Van Der Borg Merel Visse Hanneke Van Der Meide Leo Visser Fear, fight, familiarize: the experiences of people living with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and taking oral medication International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being multiple sclerosis disease modifying treatment oral medication qualitative phenomenology |
| title | Fear, fight, familiarize: the experiences of people living with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and taking oral medication |
| title_full | Fear, fight, familiarize: the experiences of people living with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and taking oral medication |
| title_fullStr | Fear, fight, familiarize: the experiences of people living with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and taking oral medication |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fear, fight, familiarize: the experiences of people living with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and taking oral medication |
| title_short | Fear, fight, familiarize: the experiences of people living with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and taking oral medication |
| title_sort | fear fight familiarize the experiences of people living with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis and taking oral medication |
| topic | multiple sclerosis disease modifying treatment oral medication qualitative phenomenology |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2019.1648946 |
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