Key result
Symptomatic AF requires continuous efforts to balance life, control illness, and adapt self-image.
Why the study?
The study was conducted to explore the experiences of living with symptomatic atrial fibrillation.
What are the experiences of living with symptomatic atrial fibrillation?
What are the experiences of living with symptomatic atrial fibrillation?
Patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation strive to balance life and control their illness, but often feel uninvolved in decision-making and lack continuity of care.
Patients with symptomatic AF need greater involvement in care decisions; leaves open optimal strategies for supporting illness control and self-image.
AIM: To explore the experiences of living with symptomatic atrial fibrillation. DESIGN: This study, with a descriptive qualitative design, was performed using semi-structured individual interviews. METHOD: Six women and nine men with symptomatic atrial fibrillation were included. The transcribed interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The COREQ checklist was followed. RESULTS: The analysis resulted in a main theme, namely balancing life and included the themes striving for illness control, becoming a receiver or an active partner in care and dealing with changed self-image. The participants strived to understand their illness, prevent attacks and manage anxiety. Some of the participants were not involved in decision-making, were uninformed about self-care measures, reported a lack of continuity in care and felt that the doctors focused on information about the medical part of care.
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Holmlund et al. (2022) studied Symptomatic atrial fibrillation (n=15). Symptomatic atrial fibrillation was evaluated on Experiences of living with symptomatic atrial fibrillation. Living with symptomatic atrial fibrillation is characterized by a constant effort to balance life, involving striving for illness control, navigating varying involvement in care, and dealing with a changed self-image.
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