Lay management of chronic disease: a qualitative study of living with hepatitis C infection.
OBJECTIVE
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.
Stoller
Eleanor Palo
EP
Department of Sociology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA. estoller@triad.rr.com
Webster
Noah J
NJ
Blixen
Carol E
CE
McCormick
Richard A
RA
Perzynski
Adam T
AT
Kanuch
Stephanie W
SW
Dawson
Neal V
NV
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D015146:Midwestern United States; D012648:Self Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines; D055815:Young Adult
D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines