Dancing with atrial fibrillation - How arrhythmia affects everyday life of family members: A qualitative study.

<h4>Background</h4>Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. Patients with AF often experience debilitating symptoms, stress and reduced health-related quality of life. Previous qualitative research on AF has primarily focused on the patient. AF, however, can also b...

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Auteurs principaux: Stine Rosenstrøm, Signe Stelling Risom, Camilla Ejlertsen, Jens Dahlgaard Hove, Anne Brødsgaard
Format: article
Langue:EN
Publié: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2021
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Q
Accès en ligne:https://doaj.org/article/0814b1310e3b40c5b1d75c5d1bc2eeec
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Résumé:<h4>Background</h4>Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. Patients with AF often experience debilitating symptoms, stress and reduced health-related quality of life. Previous qualitative research on AF has primarily focused on the patient. AF, however, can also be burdensome for the patient's family.<h4>Aim</h4>The aim of this study was to explore how family members experience life when a close member in the family has AF.<h4>Method</h4>Transcribed focus group interviews were analysed using content analysis approach inspired by Graneheim and Lundman.<h4>Results</h4>Two focus group interviews were conducted with 11 family members. The overall theme was Dancing with AF. The theme emerged from three categories: 1) Handling AF as a living condition, 2) Influencing the roles of family members, 3) Fear of AF attack. AF had a very significant impact on the patients' family members, forcing them to reconstruct their daily lives.<h4>Conclusions</h4>AF has multiple consequences for family members and can give rise to conflicts concerning family roles. Family members have a lack of knowledge of AF and fear of how AF can cause changes in the family members' everyday lives. This study demonstrates that there is a need for further research of ways to support the family members of patients with AF.