1. Lay management of chronic disease: a qualitative study of living with hepatitis C infection.
- Author
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Stoller EP, Webster NJ, Blixen CE, McCormick RA, Perzynski AT, Kanuch SW, and Dawson NV
- Subjects
- Adaptation, Psychological, Adolescent, Chronic Disease, Female, Health Behavior, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Male, Midwestern United States, Surveys and Questionnaires, Viral Hepatitis Vaccines, Young Adult, Hepatitis C drug therapy, Self Care
- Abstract
Objectives: To examine management strategies and goals reported by people diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C., Methods: We analyzed data from semistructured interviews (N = 42) and from electronic sources [illness narratives (N = 79) and Internet threaded discussions (N = 264)]. Line-by-line coding, comparisons, and team discussions generated catalogs of lay management strategies and goals. We analyzed code-based files to identify informants' selection of specific strategies for each goal., Results: We classified lay management strategies into 3 categories: medical self-care, behavior change, and coping. These strategies were used selectively in addressing multiple goals, categorized as fighting the virus, strengthening the body, and managing consequences., Conclusions: Results underscore the diversity of strategies for living with a disease characterized by uncertain prognosis and variable expression of symptoms.
- Published
- 2009
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