title: Experiences of health-promoting self-care in people living with rheumatic diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper is a report of a study that explores and describes the meaning of the phenomenon of health-promoting self-care as experienced by people living with rheumatic diseases.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  People with rheumatic diseases estimate health status as low and health belief and health status influence self-care behaviours. Several self-care behaviours are used in the efforts to mitigate the diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study had a descriptive phenomenological approach based on a reflective life-world perspective. Data were gathered in 2007 by unstructured open-ended interviews with 12 individuals living with rheumatic diseases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The meaning of health-promoting self-care as experienced by people living with rheumatic diseases was that self-care takes place against a background of continual hope and belief to influence health in positive ways. Self-care was a way of life and implied being ready to understand and respond to signals from the body. Three inter-related constituents elucidated their experiences: dialogue, power struggle and choice. Self-care was experienced as dialogues with the body and with the immediate environment. In order to respond to signals from the body, power struggles were required to be entered into when fighting the diseases. Choices were required to be made and things that were beneficial for the body were prioritized.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, the meaning of health-promoting self-care as experienced by people living with rheumatic diseases was that self-care was a way of life. This meant to be ready to understand and respond to signals from the body. Self-care required dialogues, power struggles and choices.
authors.affiliation: Research and Development Centre, Spenshult Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Oskarström, Sweden, and School of Health Sciences, Jönköping University, Sweden. susann.arvidsson@spenshult.se
authors.forename: Susann
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arvidsson
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bergman
authors.forename: Barbro
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Arvidsson
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fridlund
authors.forename: Anita Bengtsson
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Tops
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016294:Models, Nursing; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D011209:Power, Psychological; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D012649:Self Concept