Significant others’ influence on participation in everyday life – the perspectives of persons with early diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis

Figures & data

Table 1. Sample of persons with early rheumatoid arthritis taking part in the data collection 2009–2010.

Participant no.	Gender	Age	Civil status	Type of employment	Employment (%)	Education level
1	Female	63	Single	Nurse	100	Higher education
2	Male	58	Single	Industrial worker	100	Primary
3	Female	57	Single	Kitchen assistant	50	Primary
4	Male	63	Married	Technical support	100	Secondary
5	Female	53	Married	Pharmacist	100	Higher education
6	Female	53	Cohabitating	Social worker	75	Higher education
7	Female	52	Couple living apart	Work inspector	50	Higher education
8	Female	55	Single	Job seeker	0	Secondary
9	Female	30	Cohabitating	Social worker	100	Higher education
10	Male	44	Married	Mechanic	100	Secondary
11	Male	47	Single	Industrial worker	100	Secondary
12	Female	51	Married	On sick leave	0	Secondary
13	Female	50	Cohabitating	Nurse	100	Higher education
14	Female	22	Couple living apart	Salesperson	100	Secondary
15	Male	24	Cohabitating	Unemployed – seeking employment	0	Secondary
16	Female	42	Married	Educator	100	Higher education
17	Male	52	Married	Technical support	100	Higher education
18	Female	58	Married	Pharmacist	88	Higher education
19	Female	52	Married	Assistant nurse	75	Secondary
20	Female	28	Cohabitating	Assistant nurse	75	Secondary
21	Female	60	Married	Office worker	100	Secondary
22	Female	61	Single	On sick leave	0	Primary
23	Male	64	Married	Administrative work	100	Primary
24	Male	60	Married	Construction worker	100	Secondary
25	Female	64	Married	Disability pension	0	Primary
26	Female	64	Married	Disability pension	0	Primary
27	Male	64	Married	Retired	0	Primary
28	Female	45	Single	On sick leave	0	Primary
29	Female	44	Married	Teacher	100	Higher education
30	Female	58	Single	Accountant	75	Primary
31	Female	59	Married	Metal worker	100	Primary
32	Male	53	Married	Carpenter	50	Primary
33	Female	63	Married	Accountant	72	Primary
34	Female	36	Single	Medical secretary	100	Higher education
35	Male	60	Single	Disability pension	0	Primary
36	Male	58	Married	Salesman	100	Secondary
37	Female	60	Married	Assistant nurse	50	Primary
38	Male	53	Married	Electrician	100	Primary
39	Male	64	Single	Administrative work	50	Secondary
40	Male	37	Married	Welder	100	Secondary
41	Male	53	Married	Manager	100	Primary
42	Male	46	Married	Private company	100	Secondary
43	Male	60	Married	Electrician	100	Primary
44	Male	57	Cohabitating	Engineer	100	Higher education
45	Male	62	Married	Engine operator	100	Primary
46	Female	59	Single	Job seeker/on sick leave	0	Primary
47	Female	55	Single	Work coach	100	Secondary
48	Female	58	Single	Educator	100	Secondary
49	Male	59	Married	Salesman	96	Primary
50	Female	56	Married	Assistant nurse	100	Secondary
51	Female	63	Married	Disability pension	0	Secondary
52	Female	39	Married	Assistant nurse	75	Secondary
53	Male	58	Cohabitating	Industrial worker	100	Secondary
54	Female	63	Married	Bank employee	90	Primary
55	Female	57	Married	Youth worker	75	Secondary
56	Female	56	Married	Union work	100	Secondary
57	Male	54	Couple living apart	Politician/farmer	100	Secondary
58	Male	26	Cohabitating	Industrial worker	100	Secondary
59	Male	43	Cohabitating	Salesman	100	Secondary

Table 2. Examples of meaning units, condensed meaning units, codes, sub-categories, and categories.

Meaning unit	Condensed meaning unit	Code	Sub-category	Category
When I carried [my daughter], when she was younger, I was afraid that I would drop her.	Scared to drop daughter when she was younger	Fear of dropping child	Symptoms restricting physical interactions with my significant others	Physical interactions with significant others
When I feel that I cannot manage, then the ones at home have to accept, and they do since they know how it is.	The ones at home have to accept when I cannot manage	Family has to accept	My significant others have to adapt	My early RA causes activity adaptations for us all

Table 3. Categories and sub-categories found in relation to significant others’ impact on participation in early RA.

Categories	Sub-categories
My early RA causes activity adaptations for us all	My significant others have to adapt
	Keeping our relationship stable
Making the significant others balance between shortfalls and participation	My significant others’ interpretation of my need for assistance
	My significant others can facilitate participation
Physical interactions with significant others	Symptoms restricting physical interactions with my significant others
	We find ways to manage body contact
Emotions in relation to activities with others	How will my significant others and I manage everyday life in the future?
	Being a burden to significant others
	Taking negative feelings out on my significant others
	I feel like I am failing my significant others in common activities