title: Multimorbidity and the process of living with ongoing illness.
abstract: Living with two or more health conditions, or multimorbidity, is associated with higher rates of disability and lower quality of life. To overcome the challenges associated with multimorbidity, person-centred health care is essential. However, to provide person-centred health care, health professionals first need to understand how people with multiple health conditions experience their illness.
  
  
  
  Sixteen adult participants, with one or more health conditions, were recruited from hospital outpatient and community health services and interviewed twice. Qualitative data from interview transcripts and field notes were inductively analysed using constructivist grounded theory and life chart methods.
  
  
  
  'Living with ongoing illness' describes a process involving four interrelated experiences. Participants described, 'recognising something is not right,' 'working out what is wrong,' 'getting things under control' and 'getting on with life.' A case example is used to illustrate and compare the process across a participant's first and subsequent health conditions.
  
  
  
  Participants with different health conditions shared similar illness experiences. Yet, the process of living with ongoing illness was unique and differed according to participants' health conditions and life context. By understanding the experiences, needs, and priorities of people with multimorbidity, health professionals can provide timely and relevant health care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, Monash University, Frankston, Australia Manningham Community Health Services Limited, Doncaster East, Australia carolynne.white@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Carolynne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: White
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, Monash University, Frankston, Australia.
authors.forename: Primrose
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lentin
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, Monash University, Frankston, Australia.
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Farnworth
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects; D001364:Awareness; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000139:chemically induced; D000066498:Emotional Adjustment; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D066296:Grounded Theory; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants
keywords: Chronic illness; comorbidity; multimorbidity; patient-centred care; self-management