Smerte og livsmot

• Published in: NOVA Rapport 4/05 2005
• Main Authors: Elstad, Jon Ivar, Grue, Lars Petter, Eriksen, John
• Format: Report
• Language: Norwegian
• Subjects: NOVA

The aim of the project was to study consequences of having a rheumatic disease within a biographical framework. Important research issues were how rheumatism affects daily life, what kind of treatments the informants underwent, and the influence of the disease on social life, working life and the life course. A total of 125 members of Norsk Revmatikerforbund (Norwegian Rheumatism Association) were randomly selected. Among them, 23 did not have an active rheumatic disease. Among the rest, 74 persons agreed to participate. The sample consisted of 53 women and 21 men; 39 of them were in their thirties, 35 in their fifties. Data were collected by telephone interviews during autumn 2003 and winter/spring 2004. The interviews lasted usually about 50-60 minutes. The structured questionnaire had both fixed and open ended questions.A considerable period of time had often passed from the manifestation of the disease until the condition was properly diagnosed. Three out of ten had to wait more than five years before a diagnosis was definitely made. Half of the 74 informants had rheumatoid arthritis or «Bechterew's disease» (ankylosing spondylitis). Because of the disease many experienced a biographical disruption that changed their life course. One third of the informants reported that getting a rheumatic disease was the most traumatic event in their life and three out of four meant that life would have been substantially better without the disease. Many reported stiffness, inflammations, daily pain and various forms of activity limitations. However, the impact of the disease varied a lot between different informants. Also, many experienced that their disease had fluctuating courses, varying between relatively bad and relatively good periods.The majority felt that they had an identity as a person with rheumatism; however, only a few would call themselves disabled. Most of the informants held the opinion that a hereditary disposition was the cause for the disease. Nearly no one meant that they themselves could have done anything to avoid getting the disease.The majority used painkillers and other drugs on a daily basis and many had frequent contacts with a physician, both in order to receive treatments and in order to undergo examinations.Some consulted usually a general practitioner for their rheumatism while others had their regular physician contact with a rheumatologist. A third group combined the two types of doctors. Patients consulting a rheumatologist were oft