title: Understanding hope in patients with Multiple Sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand how patients with Multiple Sclerosis experience and express hope within a rehabilitation setting and use this information to help therapists in a clinical setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  One guided interview was undertaken.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two locations were used for interviews: (1) a rehabilitation centre in Oxfordshire. (2) A meeting location for the MS society in London.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven patients with Multiple Sclerosis were selected (54.5±8.8 years). Six patients were classified as being in the secondary progressive stage and 5 were classified as relapsing remitting phase.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patients selected were part of a 12-week Multiple Sclerosis rehabilitation program. One interview took place mid way through the rehabilitation program and immediately following the end of the rehabilitation program. The semi-structured interview comprised of 5 sub-sections. Categorical content analysis was used to analyse the results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three main themes were identified that related to the paradox of chronic illness: (1) defiance and the patient (2) accepting the diagnosis and prognosis and (3) accepting deterioration. These themes provide a basis for the different types of hopes expressed by patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is vital to understand the paradox of chronic illness as an expression common among patients with Multiple Sclerosis. This research illustrates the importance of listening to a patient's narrative during rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Population Sciences, University of Birmingham, 52 Pritchatts Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK. A.A.Soundy@bham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soundy
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benson
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dawes
authors.forename: Brett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Johnny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Collett
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meaney
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002908:Chronic Disease; D032882:Comprehension; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020528:Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011379:Prognosis; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers