Living with rheumatoid arthritis and experiencing everyday life with TNF-α blockers

Abstract

The aim of this study was to describe how persons with RA from an area in western Sweden experience everyday life with TNF-α blockers. A purposive sampling of 11 women and four men, with an age ranging from 25 to 70 years, was conducted. A phenomenological approach was used in the study. The data were collected by unstructured in-depth interviews. The data analysis resulted in six code groups, of which four have appurtenant sub-groups. The six code groups are: “A noticeable change dominates the picture”; “Change in bodily and mental symptoms enables activity”; “Enabling care for oneself and others”; “Enabling improved or continued productivity”; “More rewarding leisure time”; and “Drawbacks of the medication”. The findings show that most of the informants had experienced dramatic changes in their daily lives since the medication reduced their symptoms, resulting in an increased level of activity.

Key words::

• Activities in daily life (ADL)
• consequences for occupational therapy
• enabling activity
• phenomenological approach