Living with long-term conditions
- coping skills, resources and perceived quality of life
The overall aim of the project is to describe, over time, patients' experiences of living with long-term illness related to their ability to manage their everyday life and relatives' experience of their life situation. In addition, the aim is to describe how health care professionals can support patients and relatives to use their resources to manage their life situation.
Specific aims
Study 1 and 2: The purpose of the studies is to follow patients with long-term illness and their relatives for one year to describe how they manage their everyday life with regard to internal and external resources to maintain/improve their well-being/quality of life. The aim is also to investigate the relationship between quality of life and internal and external resources.
Study 3 and 4: The purpose of the studies is to describe patients' and relatives' experiences of living with long-term illness.
Study 5: The purpose of the study is to describe how health care professionals can support patients and relatives to utilize their internal and external resources to manage their life situation in long-term illness.
Methodology.
Standardized questionnaires will be used in study 1 (patients) and study 2 (caregivers). In study 3 and 4, patients and caregivers will be interviewed regarding their experiences of living with long-term illness. In study 5, healthcare professionals will be interviewed about how they can support patients and relatives in managing their everyday lives. Expectations from the project are to identify coping strategies and resources of patients and caregivers that promote health and to gain knowledge that can be used clinically in the meeting with patients and caregivers.
Data collection for study 1 and 2 has been conducted 2011-2014. Data collection for studies 3 and 4 is expected to start in 2015.
Preliminary results
In our pilot study (1) on coping, coping resources and quality of life in patients with heart and kidney failure, there were no significant differences between the groups in terms of the study variables. However, there were positive correlations between Sense of Coherence (SOC), General Self-Efficacy (GSE) and SF-36 (quality of life, QoL) and negative correlations between emotion-focused coping, SOC, GSE and QoL.
1. Kristofferzon M-L, Lindqvist R, Nilsson A. Relationships between coping, coping resources and quality of life in patients with chronic illness: a pilot study. Scand J Caring Sci, 2011; 25: 476-483.
Researchers
Marja-Leena Kristofferzon, FD, Associate Professor in Care Sciences, University of Gävle and Uppsala University
Annika Nilsson, FD, University of Gävle
Collaborators
Eva Westergren, Assistant Professor, University of Gävle
Anna Danhard, Assistant Professor, University of Gävle
Tina Nordström, Assistant Professor, University of Gävle
Åsa Hedlund, Assistant Professor, University of Gävle
Maria Wejåker, Assistant Professor, University of Gävle
Elisabet Eriksson, PhD, University of Gävle
Ragny Lindqvist, PhD, University of Gävle
Marianne Carlsson, Professor, University of Gävle
Publications
Kristofferzon, M., Engström, M. & Nilsson, A. (2018) Coping mediates the relationship between sense of coherence and mental quality of life in patients with chronic illness: a cross-sectional study. Quality of Life Research, 27 (7), 1855-1863. 10.1007/s11136-018-1845-0 External link. [More information]
External link.
Nilsson, A., Carlsson, M., Lindqvist, R. & Kristofferzon, M. (2017). A comparative correlational study of coping strategies and quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure and the general Swedish population. Nursing Open, 4 (3), 157-167. 10.1002/nop2.81 External link. [More information]
External link.
Hedman, M., Pöder, U., Mamhidir, A., Nilsson, A., Kristofferzon, M. & Häggström, E. (2015). Life memories and the ability to act: the meaning of autonomy and participation for older people when living with chronic illness. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 29 (4), 824-833. 10.1111/scs.12215 External link. [More information]
External link.
Kristofferzon, M. & Ternesten-Hasséus, E. (2013) A study of two generic health-related quality of life questionnaires - Nottingham Health Profile and Short-Form 36 Health Survey - and of coping in patients with sensory hyperreactivity. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 11. 10.1186/1477-7525-11-182 External link. [More information]
External link.
Kristofferzon, M., Lindqvist, R. & Nilsson, A. (2011). Relationships between coping, coping resources and quality of life in patients with chronic illness: a pilot study. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 25 (3), 476-483. 10.1111/j.1471-6712.2010.00851.x External link. [More information]
External link.
Kristofferzon, M., Lindqvist, R. & Nilsson, A. (2009). Living with chronic illness. The 2nd International Research Seminar on Salutogenesis : Helsinki, May 14-16, 2009 [More information] External link.
This page was last updated 2025-01-13