title: Support Experienced by Patients Living with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) are debilitating and fatal diseases it is essential to increase the understanding of patients' experience of support. The aim was to describe patients' experiences of support while living with PAH or CTEPH.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen patients (13 women and four men) aged 28-73 years were strategically selected from a regional PAH centre and individually interviewed. The answers were analysed using qualitative content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three categories that describe patients' experiences of support emerged: Support linked to the healthcare; support linked to the private sphere; and support linked to persons outside the private sphere.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Healthcare practitioners must work more in collaboration to detect patients' need for support and to develop the patient's own skills to manage daily life. The PAH teams should tailor interventions to provide emotional, informational and instrumental support and guidance to patients and their families.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Lund University and Skåne University Hospital, Sweden; Medical Services, Region Skåne, Lund, Sweden. Electronic address: bodil.ivarsson@med.lu.se.
authors.forename: Bodil
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ivarsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Caring Science, Uppsala University, and Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ekmehag
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Lund University and Skåne University Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: Trygve
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sjöberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Chronic disease; Peer support; Relationship; Social support; Supportive care