title: The heart is a representation of life: an exploration of illness beliefs in couples living with atrial fibrillation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore illness beliefs in couples where one spouse has atrial fibrillation.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Beliefs are the lenses through which we view the world, guiding our behaviour and constructing our lives. Couples evolve an ecology of beliefs from their interaction whereby their actions and choices arise from their beliefs. Atrial fibrillation is a common cardiac arrhythmia that has implications for both patients and partners. A couple's illness beliefs play an important role in convalescence and illness management, and no previous studies have explored illness beliefs in couples living with atrial fibrillation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative hermeneutic design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data collection constituted in-depth interviews with nine couples (patient and partner together). Hermeneutic philosophy as described by Gadamer was used to interpret and to understand illness beliefs in couples living with atrial fibrillation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings revealed both core illness beliefs and secondary illness beliefs. From the core illness belief 'The heart is a representation of life', two secondary illness beliefs were derived: atrial fibrillation is a threat to life and atrial fibrillation can and must be explained. From the core illness belief 'Change is an integral part of life', two secondary illness beliefs were derived: atrial fibrillation is a disruption in our lives and atrial fibrillation will not interfere with our lives. Finally, from the core illness belief 'Adaptation is fundamental in life', two secondary illness beliefs were derived: atrial fibrillation entails adjustment in daily life and atrial fibrillation entails confidence in and adherence to professional care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Couples' interaction has developed mutual illness beliefs regarding atrial fibrillation that guide them in their daily lives and influence their decisions. The adoption of a family-centred perspective in cardiovascular care settings is warranted.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2472-8712
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dalteg
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sandberg
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden.|Department of Internal Medicine, County Hospital Ryhov, Jönköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Malm
authors.affiliation: The Center for Collaborative Palliative Care, Linnaeus University, Växjö, Sweden.|Department of Health and Care Sciences, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sandgren
authors.affiliation: The Center for Collaborative Palliative Care, Linnaeus University, Växjö, Sweden.|Department of Health and Care Sciences, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Benzein
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D057566:Self Report; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: atrial fibrillation; couples; hermeneutics; illness beliefs; qualitative research