Background: Sexual health needs are insufficiently met for persons living with rheumatological diseases and it is necessary to create better ways to meet these needs.Objective: To co-create a working model to improve sexual health for persons living with rheumatological diseases, that can be used by rheumatological teams in regular rheumatology practice.Design: This study applied a co-creation design with three key features: 1) it took a systems perspective with emergent multiple interactive entities; 2) the research process was viewed as a creative endeavour with strong links to design, while human imagination and the individual experience of patient and staff were at the core of the creative design effort; 3) the process of the co-creative efforts was as important as the generated product.Results: A model defining the role of the patient, the professionals, and the team in optimizing sexual health for persons living with rheumatological diseases was co-created. The model can be seen as a practice guideline, which includes the support needed from and to each participant in the process of promoting sexual health, while being within the professional scope of the professionals’ knowledge and capacity, and in line with the needs of the persons living with rheumatological diseases.Discussion and Conclusions: The co-creative work process identified crucial factors in promoting sexual health, resulting in a useful model for patients, professionals and teams. Co-creation was experienced to be a useful research design to improve rheumatological care, through valuing and using the competence of all research members equally.

Background Support from significant others is important for participation in everyday life for persons with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Meanwhile, significant others also experience limitations. Aims To explore how support is expressed by persons with RA and significant others, and how support relates to participation in everyday life of persons with RA. Material and methods Sixteen persons with RA and their significant others participated in individual semi-structured interviews. The material was analyzed using dyadic analysis. Results Persons with RA and significant others reported that RA and support had become natural parts of everyday life, especially emotional support. The reciprocal dynamics of support were also expressed as imperative. Also, support from people outside of the dyads and well-functioning communication facilitated everyday life. Conclusions Significant others and the support they give are prominent factors and facilitators in everyday life of persons with RA. Concurrently, the support persons with RA provide is important, along with support from outside of the dyads. Significance The results indicate that the interaction between persons with RA and the social environment is central to gain insight into how support should be provided for optimal participation in everyday life. Significant others can preferably be more involved in the rehabilitation process.

Introduction: Despite evidence that older persons want to be involved in care, little is known about how older people with complex health problems living at home experience participation in care provided by different stakeholders. This study investigates the experiences of participation in care by older people, following their involvement in a proactive intervention based on a new health care model called Focused Primary Care. Material and methods: Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 older persons in five municipalities in Sweden. All the interviewees had participated in the intervention. Results: The older persons highlighted opportunities and limitations for participation on a personal level i.e. conditions for being involved in direct care and in relation to independence. Experiences of participation on an organisational level were reported to a lesser degree. In order to keep care contacts together and improve participation, a coordinating person (called “the spider in the net”) was requested who could safeguard the staff’s relationship with the older person. Conclusions: Primary care should to a greater extent involve older persons more directly in the planning and execution of care. There is considerable potential for developing the health and primary care sector to better target the needs of older persons with complex health problems, and to enhance their participation and independence. Interventions, like the one followed in this project, can play a critical role in realising the needs of older persons, where providing participation in care is recognised as a significant goal to assist them in navigating the care system. 

Ett första svenskt bidrag till att mer samlat presentera erfarenheter, studier och exempel från PPU-området för socionomutbildning i Sverige. Åtta universitet och högskolor medverkar i den 200-sidiga antologin.

As injuries are the main health threat for young adults (18–29 years) in industrial countries, a better understanding of injury risk is needed for this population. Using the Critical Incident Technique, this study explores how young people experience situations that have the potential to cause physical injury (i.e., near-injury situations). Clearly, understanding how and why near-injury situations arise can be used to develop strategies to help prevent severe injury. Content analysis was used to categorize the characteristics of the experiences into unexpected risk in ordinary tasks, duty first, and price for learning. Young adults’ exposures to new or unusual environmental conditions, especially in unexpected risk in ordinary tasks, should be considered when planning injury prevention strategies. A combination of individual, social, and contextual demands and expectations was identified in both work- and sports-related experiences with near-injury situations. The price for learning, which arises from the added risk involved in learning situations, is another condition that was identified and requires further attention. The Critical Incident Technique proved to be a useful method for identifying near-injury situations that might otherwise have been difficult to recall. Young adults’ efforts to display their ability to handle difficult situations at work and in their everyday lives was identified as a major contributor to near-injury situations.

Background:Despite a growing body of knowledge about eHealth innovations, there is still limited understanding of the implementation of such tools in everyday primary care.

Objective:The objective of our study was to describe health care staff’s experience with a digital communication system intended for patient-staff encounters via a digital route in primary care.

Methods:In this qualitative study we conducted 21 individual interviews with staff at 5 primary care centers in Sweden that had used a digital communication system for 6 months. The interviews were guided by narrative queries, transcribed verbatim, and subjected to content analysis.

Results:While the digital communication system was easy to grasp, it was nevertheless complex to use, affecting both staffing and routines for communicating with patients, and documenting contacts. Templates strengthened equivalent procedures for patients but dictated a certain level of health and digital literacy for accuracy. Although patients expected a chat to be synchronous, asynchronous communication was extended over time. The system for digital communication benefited assessments and enabled more efficient use of resources, such as staff. On the other hand, telephone contact was faster and better for certain purposes, especially when the patient’s voice itself provided data. However, many primary care patients, particularly younger ones, expected digital routes for contact. To match preferences for communicating to a place and time that suited patients was significant; staff were willing to accept some nuisance from a suboptimal service—at least for a while—if it procured patient satisfaction. A team effort, including engaged managers, scaffolded the implementation process, whereas being subjected to a trial without likely success erected barriers.

Conclusions:A digital communication system introduced in regular primary care involved complexity beyond merely learning how to manage the tool. Rather, it affected routines and required that both the team and the context were addressed. Further knowledge is needed about what factors facilitate implementation, and how. This study suggested including ethical perspectives on eHealth tools, providing an important but novel aspect of implementation.

Må bra med glutenintolerans är för dig som inte tål gluten, oavsett om du varit glutenintolerant under en lång tid eller om du nyligen fått diagnosen celiaki. Skriften är författad av docent Claes Hallert som är en av Sveriges mest namnkunniga läkare inom området. Claes ger en pedagogisk förklaring av sjukdomen, orsak, symtom och behandling samt aktuell forskning.Aukt socionom Annette Sverker, verksam på Nordiska folkhälsohögskolan i Göteborg, ger tips och råd hur du kan hantera vardagen som glutenintolerant, när du ska handla glutenfritt, äta på restaurang, fika på arbetet, äta middag hos vänner eller åka på utlandssemester.Dietisten Karin Fridell berättar vad man kan äta och vad man måste undvika som glutenintolerant. Karin redogör även för de nya EU-reglerna kring livsmedelsmärkning, ger baktips och en rad nya glutenfria recept.Skriften är rikligt illustrerad med inspirerande foton. Den är faktagranskad av leg. dietist Carina Lunneryd, Lunds universitetssjukhus, Iréne Jonson, Svenska celiakiförbundet och leg. läkare Ann Österman som själv är

Neuropathic pain is a disabling chronic condition with limited therapeutic options. Few studies have addressed patient's experience and strategies. The aim of this study was to explore dilemmas experienced in order to improve care and rehabilitation. An interview study with 39 patients suffering from neuropathic pain of different origin was performed. We used the critical incident technique to collect data. Questions on occasions when patients had been hindered by or reminded of their neuropathic pain were included, and the self-perceived consequences and management of such occasions. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed qualitatively. A broad range of experiences categorised into dilemmas, disturbances, consequences and managements from most parts of everyday life was identified. The dilemmas were ‘housework’, ‘sitting’, ‘physical activity’, ‘personal hygiene’, ‘sleeping difficulties’, ‘hypersensitivity to external stimuli’, ‘social relationships’, ‘transportation’ and ‘leisure time’. Disturbances were ‘failures’, ‘inabilities’ and ‘restrictions’. Consequences were ‘increased pain’, ‘psychological reactions’ and ‘physical symptoms’. The majority of the patients used activity-oriented strategies to manage their pain such as alternative ways of performing the task, a cognitive approach or simply ignoring the pain. This is one of the first studies presenting detailed data on everyday dilemmas, disturbances and consequences of patients with chronic neuropathic pain. Such information is important in clinical settings to improve care and rehabilitation.

Objective: When organising healthcare and planning for research to improve healthcare, it is important to include the patients' own perceptions. Therefore, the aim was to explore older patients' views on what is important concerning their current care and possible future interventions in a primary care setting. Design: A qualitative design with individual interviews was used. Analysis through latent content analysis. Setting: Seven Swedish primary care centres. Subjects: Patients (n 30) aged >75 years, connected to elder care teams in primary healthcare. Results: Three categories, consisting of 14 sub-categories in total, were found, namely: Care characterised by easy access, continuity and engaged staff builds security; Everyday life and Plans in late life. The overarching latent theme Person-centred care with easy access, continuity and engaged staff gave a deeper meaning to the content of the categories and sub-categories. Conclusion: It is important to organise primary care for older people through conditions which meet up with their specific needs. Our study highlights the importance of elder care teams facilitating the contact with healthcare, ensuring continuity and creating conditions for a person-centred care. There were variations regarding preferences about training and different views on conversations about end-of-life, which strengthens the need for individualisation and personal knowledge. This study also exemplifies qualitative individual interviews as an approach to reach older people to be part of a study design and give input to an upcoming research intervention, as the interviews contribute with important information of value in the planning of the Swedish intervention trial Secure and Focused Primary Care for Older pEople (SAFE).

Introduction The provision of healthcare services is not dedicated to promoting maintenance of function and does not target frail older persons at high risk of the main causes of morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of a proactive medical and social intervention in comparison with conventional care on a group of persons aged 75 and older selected by statistical prediction.

Methods and analysis In a pragmatic multicentre primary care setting (n=1600), a prediction model to find elderly (75+) persons at high risk of complex medical care or hospitalisation is used, followed by proactive medical and social care, in comparison with usual care. The study started in April 2017 with a run-in period until December 2017, followed by a 2-year continued intervention phase that will continue until the end of December 2019. The intervention includes several tools (multiprofessional team for rehabilitation, social support, medical care home visits and telephone support). Primary outcome measures are healthcare cost, number of hospital care episodes, hospital care days and mortality. Secondary outcome measures are number of outpatient visits, cost of social care and informal care, number of prescribed drugs, health-related quality of life, cost-effectiveness, sense of security, functional status and ability. We also study the care of elderly persons in a broader sense, by covering the perspectives of the patients, the professional staff and the management, and on a political level, by using semistructured interviews, qualitative methods and a questionnaire.

Ethics and dissemination Approved by the regional ethical review board in Linköping (Dnr 2016/347-31). The results will be presented in scientific journals and scientific meetings during 2019–2022 and are planned to be used for the development of future care models.

Objective: To explore frail older persons’ perceptions of the future and the end of life.

Design: Qualitative content analysis of individual semi-structured interviews.

Setting: Nine primary health care centres in both small and middle-sized municipalities in Sweden that participated in the intervention project Proactive healthcare for frail elderly persons.

Subjects/Patients: The study includes 20 older persons (eight women and 12 men, aged 76–93 years).

Main outcome measures: Frail older persons’ perceptions of the future and end of life.

Results: The analysis uncovered two main categories: Dealing with the future and Approaching the end of life. Dealing with the future includes two subcategories: Plans and reflections and Distrust and delay. Approaching the end of life includes three subcategories: Practical issues, Worries and realism, and Keeping it away.

Conclusion: This study highlights the diverse ways older people perceive future and the end of life. The results make it possible to further understand the complex phenomenon of frail older persons’ perceptions on the future and the end of life.

Purpose: Despite evidence that older persons want to be involved in care, little is known about how frail older people with significant care needs living at home experience participation in care provided by different stakeholders. This study investigates the experiences of participation in care by older people following their involvement in an intervention of a health care model called Focused Primary care (FPC).'Methods: Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 older persons in five municipalities in Sweden.Results: The results show that older persons highlighted opportunities and limitations for participation on a personal level i.e., conditions for being involved in direct care and in relation to independence. Experiences of participation on organizational levels were reported to a lesser degree. This included being able to understand the organizational system underpinning care. The relational dimensions of caregiving were emphasized by the older persons as the most central aspects of caregiving in relation to participation .Conclusions: Primary care should involve older persons more directly in planning and execution of care on all levels. An ongoing connection with one specialized elderly team and a coordinating person in Primary care who safeguards relationships is important fo rproviding participation in care for frail older persons with significant care needs living at home.

Background: In spite of early interventions and advancements in medication disability and restricted work capacity is closely related to rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Around 1/3 of diagnosed patients are men, however few studies describe men's need and experiences of living with RA [1].Objectives: To explore male strategies of handling participating restriction in everyday life.Methods: In this study 25 men with early RA from the TIRA2 cohort [2], age 20 – 63, were interviewed about participation restrictions with Critical Incident Technique [3]. Transcribed interviews were synthesized into dilemmas and linked to ICF participation [4] codes and the strategies in handling these dilemmas were analyzed and categorized using content analysis [5].Results: The men described four types of strategies of handling participating restriction in everyday life. Resilience strategies; to find enjoyments, develop self-trust, and a new body-knowledge. Daily routine strategies; use more time on each task and rest in between activities, adjust medication to activity, adjust movements finding new ways to conduct work tasks and physical training. Avoidance strategies; avoid alcohol, social contacts after work, inform of RA and sometimes medicine. Action strategies; continue activities, attend activities as a spectator instead of being an active participant, go home if needed, say no, ask for help, and talk about RA. Acceptance strategies; accept pain, accept less work pace, accept less endurance and fewer activities.Conclusions: Men described dilemmas in everyday life due to RA, but not all experienced being restricted in life they rather expressed reorganizing their everyday lives.References:Shuttleworth RP (2004). Disabled masculinity; Expanding the masculine repertoire. In Smith BG, Hutchinson B (Eds). Gendering disability, New Brunswick, NJ; Rutgers University Press.Björk M, Thyberg I, Rikner K, Balogh I, Gerdle B. Sick leave before and after diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis: a report from the Swedish TIRA project. J Rheumatol 2009;36:1170-1179.Flanagan, C (1954). The critical incident technique. Psychological Bulletin, 51: p. 327-358.Cieza A, Geyh S, Chatterji S, Kostanjsek N, Ustun B, Stucki G ICF linking rules: an update based on lessons learned. J Rehabil Med. 2005;37:212-8.Sverker A, Thyberg I, Östlund G, Valtersson E, Thyberg M. (2013). Participation in work in early rheumatoid arthritis: A qualitative interview study interpreted in terms of the ICF. Disability & Rehabilitation May (3); ISSN1464-5165

Few studies have focused on gendered consequences of coeliac disease (CD), despite the fact that women with coeliac disease report lower health-related quality of life than men do. The aim of this study was to explore consequences of dilemmas in everyday lives for women and men, as personally affected by CD or as close relatives to someone affected by the disease and to put these experiences into context regarding household activities. This QUAL-quan study included 28 men and 38 women. A mix method design was used. The critical incident technique that captures, in a structured way, the qualities of experiences was used in interviews to identify dilemmas and their consequences. To describe the social context of these dilemmas, a quantitative questionnaire was developed on food preparations and purchase, as well as on cooking and meal behaviours. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Health Sciences. The consequences were found in cognitive, social, emotional and physical aspects of human life. The overall pattern of these consequences was similar in women and men irrespective of being personally affected or a close relative. The main consequences identified were: daily concerns about gluten, constant preparation, being different, emotional pressure and body sensations because of CD. Descriptive data extracted from the questionnaire showed that women and men reported having a different social situation in relation to preparing food, making decisions about purchases, buying food products and preparing meals. The clinical implications of these findings are that healthcare professionals need to develop family-oriented information in relation to CD. It is necessary to inform the close relatives irrespective of sex of the possible consequences of the disease and to take in to account the different social context that women and men report in relation to food preparations.

Purpose: To explore what work-related dilemmas are experienced by patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to their own descriptions, and to interpret this in terms of participation categories of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Method: In 48 patients with early RA, qualitative interviews were analyzed, followed by linking of concepts to the activity/participation component of the ICF and interpretation of general themes. Results: Work-related dilemmas represented different societal perspectives on work related to acquiring, keeping and terminating a job, self-employment, part-time, full-time and non-remunerative employment. Dilemmas also represented participation priorities in economic self-sufficiency, self-care such as health care, and avoiding social relationships and recreation in favor of work. Leisure time was influenced because efforts of working took energy and time of day-to-day procedures. Embedded actions in work-related dilemmas were carrying out daily routine, mobility including using transportation, self-care, domestic life and social interaction. Conclusion: The general themes societal perspectives, participation priorities and embedded actions, with the included ICF categories that are described in detail according to the experiences of the patients, can support clinical reasoning and research on quantitative relations to disease activity, body functions, ability and contextual factors. Implications for Rehabilitation In early rheumatoid arthritis, keeping a job is complex; patients and practitioners need to know and handle the perspectives of, e.g. employers and social insurance agents. Participation in work is an issue of prioritizing against, e.g. maintaining one's health and social relationships. Rehabilitation practitioners need to analyze what actions are embedded in a work situation.

Purpose: The aim of was to identify and illustrate in what situations and with what qualities people with early RA experience participation in every day’s life.

Methods: 59 patients (age 18-63 years) were interviewed; 25 men and 34 women. Content analysis was used to identify meaning units which were sorted based on type of situations described and later on, categories based on quality aspects of participation were developed.

Results: Participation was described as: 1. being part of a group, where a sense of belonging arose. 2. In doing activities with others for example at work or in leisure. 3. When sharing everyday chores and responsibilities for example in domestic duties. 4. When experiencing influence on actions such as when being asked for opinions on how to conduct a specific task. 5. When having the possibility to give direction of goals in rehabilitation, or elsewhere. 6. When sharing decision making and experiencing a high degree of influence in the situation.

Conclusions: Participation from an individual’s perspective is about belonging and having influence that mediates a positive feeling of being included and that you matter as a person. The results are important when using participation as a goal in clinical care. It’s important to expand participation beyond the definitions in ICF and guidelines to include the patients’ socio-emotional participation in order to promote health.

People with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), often associatedwith psychosocial problems and reduced quality of life, benefitfrom the guidance of trained medical social workers. Thisstudy explores the effectiveness of psychosocial treatmentin patients with RA using a structured interview to detectpsychosocial problems for 100 patients. These individualswere offered regular sessions with a medical social worker.Three types of mixed-problems were found: mixed problemsrelated to RA, mixed problems related to the life situation, andmixed problems related to a combination of RA and the lifesituation. The RA patients who reported mixed-problems attime of their diagnosis received psychosocial treatment froma medical social worker regardless of the mixed problems theyexperienced. In addition, we found that disease-related mixedproblems seemed more treatable than other problems. Socialwork in somatic healthcare seems most successful in patientswith sickness-related social and psychosocial problems.

Background Several studies indicate the importance of social support in the case of chronic disease.

Aim The aim was to explore dilemmas experienced by close relatives living with a person suffering from coeliac disease, and to describe the strategies they used to deal with these dilemmas.

Methods Twenty-three informants were interviewed. A systematic inductive qualitative method, the critical incident technique was used.

Results Disease-related worries included having bad conscience about not being affected by the disease, experiencing anxiety and witnessing the vulnerability of the affected relative in social situations. Dilemmas related to manage daily life were connected with increased domestic work, restricted freedom of action and the diseased person's preferential right of interpretation of health risks associated with the coeliac disease and deviations from the diet restrictions. Dilemmas related to disturbances in social life, concerned lack of information, knowledge and understanding. Different strategies were described to manage daily life.

Conclusions Close relatives experienced a variety of dilemmas that affected the situation of the whole family. The role of relatives in handling the coeliac disease with the diseased person in the everyday life might be underestimated, and to provide relatives with better knowledge regarding the disease might improve the situation also for patients.

Abstract Purpose: To explore the experiences of today's patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with respect to dilemmas of everyday life, especially regarding patterns of participation restrictions in valued life activities. Methods: A total of 48 patients, aged 20-63, three years post-RA diagnosis were interviewed using the Critical Incident Technique. Transcribed interviews were condensed into meaningful units describing actions/situations. These descriptions were linked to ICF participation codes according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) linking rules. Results: Dilemmas in everyday life were experienced in domestic life, interpersonal interactions and relationships, community, social and civic life. Most dilemmas were experienced in domestic life, including participation restrictions in, e.g. gardening, repairing houses, shovelling snow, watering pot plants, sewing or walking the dog. Also many dilemmas were experienced related to recreation and leisure within the domain community, social and civic life. The different dilemmas were often related to each other. For instance, dilemmas related to community life were combined with dilemmas within mobility, such as lifting and carrying objects. Conclusions: Participation restrictions in today's RA patients are complex. Our results underline that the health care needs to be aware of the patients' own preferences and goals to support the early multi-professional interventions in clinical practice. Implications of Rehabilitation Today's rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients experience participation restrictions in activities not included in International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) core set for RA or in traditionally questionnaires with predefined activities. The health care need to be aware of the patients' own preferences and goals to meet the individual needs and optimize the rehabilitation in early RA in clinical practice.

Psychological distress is a well-known complication in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but knowledge regarding emotions and their relationship to participation restrictions is scarce. The objective of the study was to explore emotions related to participation restrictions by patients with early RA. In this study, 48 patients with early RA, aged 20-63 years, were interviewed about participation restrictions using the critical incident technique. Information from transcribed interviews was converted into dilemmas and linked to International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) participation codes. The emotions described were condensed and categorized. Hopelessness and sadness were described when trying to perform daily activities such as getting up in the mornings and getting dressed, or not being able to perform duties at work. Sadness was experienced in relation to not being able to continue leisure activities or care for children. Examples of fear descriptions were found in relation to deteriorating health and fumble fear, which made the individual withdraw from activities as a result of mistrusting the body. Anger and irritation were described in relation to domestic and employed work but also in social relations where the individual felt unable to continue valued activities. Shame or embarrassment was described when participation restrictions became visible in public. Feelings of grief, aggressiveness, fear, and shame are emotions closely related to participation restrictions in everyday life in early RA. Emotions related to disability need to be addressed both in clinical settings in order to optimize rehabilitative multi-professional interventions and in research to achieve further knowledge.

Background: Approximately 1/3 of patients diagnosed with the chronic disease Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) are men, however few studies describe experiences and strategies to handle daily activities [2]. Daily life with a chronic disease means learning to live under new circumstances. This also foresee a continuous adaptation to new ways of living. The process of coping in which the individual change the perceived cause of stress as in problem-focused coping or when managing the emotions of stress, as in emotion-focused coping where first mentioned by Lazarus and Folkman [1]. Coping is described as an individual style to handle stressful events that might be changed over time.

Objectives: The aim was to explore men's strategies for dealing with participation restrictions in everyday life due to early RA.

Methods: This study is associated with the prospective multi-centre early arthritis project under the Swedish acronym “TIRA-2” [3]. Participants were 25 males of which 22 were work active, mean age 53 years, contemporary treated with mean disease duration of 3 years. Individual interviews were done using the Critical Incident Technique (CIT) [4]. The verbatim transcribed text were analyzed and categorized using content analysis. The study has been approved by the Ethics Committee.

Results: The men experienced that RA partly required a changed life style and most of them used a combination of strategies to deal with the participation restrictions in relation to RA. In the adjustment strategy new behaviors and tools were used to solve participation restrictions. The avoidance strategy included deliberate avoidance of possible participation restrictions, such as staying at home in the evenings and avoiding socializing with friends. The interaction strategy included to verbally express needs and give demands in relation to others both at work and in the family and ask for help when needed. The acceptance strategy was identified by the wordings used when talking about the experienced participation restrictions as “I accept that everything takes longer time”.

Conclusions: The interviewed men with early RA were contemporary treated and active in the work force, still, all of them had to deal with some participation restrictions. Moreover, this study claims that most men used a combination of strategies to deal with the experienced participation restriction.

Introduction

The present study explored how women describe their use of situation‐specific strategies when managing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim was also to compare women's strategies with those of men, and see the extent to which they used the same strategies.

Methods

The data were collected using semi‐structured interviews based on the critical incident technique. The sample consisted of women with early rheumatic arthritis (n = 34), and the results were compared with data reported in a previous study on men (n = 25) from the same cohort. The patient‐described participation restrictions due to RA were firstly linked to the domains of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). The different strategies used were then categorized. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Sweden.

Results

The study found that women used four situation‐specific strategies: adjustment, avoidance, interaction and acceptance. The same strategies had been found previously in interviews with men with RA. Women and men used these strategies to a similar extent in the ICF domains of mobility; major life arenas; domestic life; interpersonal interactions and relationships; and community, social and civic life. However, some differences were found, relating to the reported activities in self‐care and domestic life, in which women reported using strategies to a greater extent than men.

Conclusions

Women and men used four types of situation‐specific strategies in managing RA; adjustment, avoidance, interaction and acceptance. These situation‐specific strategies provide useful knowledge, in terms of multidisciplinary rehabilitation and for patients' significant others.

BACKGROUND: Men and women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) experience restrictions in everyday life, in spite of the development of new medications. Recent research has described in detail how participation limitations are experienced in everyday life from a patient perspective. However, knowledge of how sex and intimate relationships are affected is still scarce.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to explore sex life experiences in relation to sexual function and sexual relationships in men and women with early RA.

METHODS: The study formed part of TIRA-2 (the Swedish acronym for the prospective multicentre early arthritis project). The data collection included 45 interviews with 21 men and 24 women, aged 20-63, which were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The critical incident technique was used to collect data, and content analysis to categorize the results.

RESULTS: Half the participants stated that RA affected their sex life. The general descriptions formed five categories: sex life and tiredness; sex life and ageing; emotional consequences of impaired sexual function; facilitators of sexual function and sexual relationships; and strain on the sexual relationship.

CONCLUSIONS: Sex life is affected in early RA, in spite of new effective treatment strategies. New strategies of communication, assessment and self-managing interventions concerning the sex lives of patients with RA need to be implemented by a multidisciplinary healthcare team. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

OBJECTIVES: Living with a chronic disease means learning to live under new circumstances and involves a continuous adaptation to new ways of living. There is increasing knowledge about how people cope with stressful life events and adapt to new life situations. Approximately a third of patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are men; however, few studies have described the needs and experiences of men living with RA. The aim of the present study was to explore men's strategies for handling challenges related to participation in everyday life.

METHODS: The present study was associated with the prospective Swedish multicentre early arthritis project (given the Swedish acronym TIRA), which, in 2006-2009, included patients with early RA, contemporarily treated, with a mean disease duration of three years. From this cohort, 25 men, aged 20-63 years, were recruited consecutively. Data were collected in individual interviews, using the critical incident technique. The strategies for dealing with the challenges of RA in everyday life were analysed and categorized using content analysis.

RESULTS: Men with RA described four types of strategy for dealing with participation restrictions in everyday life: (i) Adjustment strategies - adjust behaviour, movements, medication, equipment and clothing to find new ways to conduct tasks or activities; (ii) Avoidance strategies - avoid activities, movements, social contacts and sometimes medication; (iii) Interaction strategies - say no, ask for help and work together to handle participation restrictions; and (iv) Acceptance strategies - learn to accept RA, with the pain, the slower work pace and the extended time needed.

CONCLUSIONS: According to men's lived experiences, a combination of strategies was used to deal with RA, depending on the situation and the experienced restriction. The results provided an understanding of how men with RA manage their disease, to reduce physical, social and emotional challenges. This knowledge may be used further to develop multi-professional interventions and patient education tailored to men with RA.