| Title |
Perception, consequences, communication, and strategies for handling fatigue in persons with rheumatoid arthritis of working age—a focus group study
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Clinical Rheumatology, January 2013
|
| DOI | 10.1007/s10067-012-2133-y |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Caroline Feldthusen, Mathilda Björk, Helena Forsblad-d’Elia, Kaisa Mannerkorpi, For the University of Gothenburg Centre for Person-Centred Care (GPCC) |
| Abstract |
The aim of this study was to describe how persons with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of working age experience and handle their fatigue in everyday life. Six focus group discussions were conducted focusing on experiences of fatigue in 25 persons with RA (19 women, 6 men), aged 20-60 years. The discussions were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed according to qualitative content analysis. The analyses resulted in four categories. (1) Perception of fatigue: Fatigue was experienced different from normal tiredness, unpredictable, and overwhelming. It was associated with negative emotions, changed self-image, and fears. Feelings of frustration and shame were central when the persons were forced to omit valued life activities. (2) Consequences due to fatigue: The fatigue caused changes in cognitive ability, ability to act, and overall activity pattern where the increased need for rest and sleep caused an imbalance in daily life. The participants struggled not to let the fatigue interfere with work. The fatigue also brought negative consequences for their significant others. (3) Communicating fatigue: Fatigue was difficult to gain understanding for, and the participants adjusted their communication accordingly; it was important to keep up appearances. During medical consultation, fatigue was perceived as a factor not given much consideration, and the participants expressed taking responsibility for managing their fatigue symptoms themselves. (4) Strategies to handle fatigue: Strategies comprised conscious self-care, mental strategies, planning, and prioritizing. Fatigue caused considerable health problems for persons with RA of working age: negative emotions, imbalance in daily life due to increased need for rest, and difficulties gaining understanding. This draws attention to the importance of developing new modes of care to address fatigue in RA. Person-centered care to improve balance in life may be one approach needing further investigations. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 4 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 2 | 50% |
| Unknown | 2 | 50% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 4 | 100% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 86 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 86 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Master | 14 | 16% |
| Student > Bachelor | 12 | 14% |
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 8 | 9% |
| Student > Doctoral Student | 7 | 8% |
| Researcher | 6 | 7% |
| Other | 15 | 17% |
| Unknown | 24 | 28% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine and Dentistry | 17 | 20% |
| Nursing and Health Professions | 13 | 15% |
| Psychology | 9 | 10% |
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 4 | 5% |
| Social Sciences | 4 | 5% |
| Other | 11 | 13% |
| Unknown | 28 | 33% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 4. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 28 August 2016.
All research outputs
#7,175,668
of 22,693,205 outputs
Outputs from Clinical Rheumatology
#1,087
of 2,984 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#80,403
of 281,029 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Clinical Rheumatology
#8
of 34 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 22,693,205 research outputs across all sources so far. This one has received more attention than most of these and is in the 68th percentile.
So far Altmetric has tracked 2,984 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 6.9. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 63% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 281,029 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 71% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 34 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done well, scoring higher than 76% of its contemporaries.