Illness perceptions, risk perceptions and worries in patients with early systemic sclerosis: A focus group study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

This study explores illness perceptions, risk perceptions and degree of worry in patients with recently diagnosed systemic sclerosis (SSc). Specifically, it aims to answer whether and how early diagnosis in a stage that disease is relatively mild can impact patients' lives, and if and how disease severity associates with illness perceptions and risk perception.

Methods

Patients with a diagnosis of SSc <2 years were invited to participate in a focus group discussion for in-depth exploration of illness perceptions, risk perceptions and worry. In addition, illness perceptions, risk perceptions and worries were evaluated with the use of questionnaires. To explore how patients perceive SSc, we asked them to draw their disease. Physician global assessment of disease sev

SUBMITTER: van Leeuwen NM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7318332 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature