title: "It is about taking grips and not let myself be ravaged by my body": a qualitative study of outcomes from in-patient multidisciplinary rehabilitation for patients with chronic rheumatic diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore how patients experience the process and personal impact of deriving outcomes from a rheumatological rehabilitation program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases approximately 2 months after a 4-week hospital based multidisciplinary rehabilitation program. A thematic analysis was applied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overarching themes were increased dignity and self-respect. Initial uncertainty regarding illness management was exchanged with confident coping and of becoming an active agent in ones own life. Strategies and coping tools tried out during the rehabilitation stay, do by their experienced effect become primary sources of gained insight into illness and symptom manifestation. Both elements give a sense of control and influence self-confidence and motivation to engage in self-management. The process from gained insight and experienced effect of coping tools, to active self management, is however, not automatic. Psychological factors play a key role, and there is a need to take individual psychological themes into account and tailor interventions accordingly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Specialized multidisciplinary rehabilitation is an ongoing active process, in which psychological factors play a key role and must be accounted for. Well targeted rehabilitation has the potential to create outcomes of major personal impact.
authors: National Resource Center for Rehabilitation in Rheumatology, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway. turid.dager@diakonsyk.no
authors: Turid Nygaard
authors: TN
authors: Dager
authors: Ingvild
authors: I
authors: Kjeken
authors: Elin
authors: E
authors: Fjerstad
authors: Mona-Iren
authors: MI
authors: Hauge
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires