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Acquiring Knowledge Prior To Diagnosis: A Grounded Theory Of Patients’ Experiences, Jennifer K. Roddis, Immy Holloway, Carol Bond, Kathleen T. Galvin

Patient Experience Journal

This research aimed to explore and explain how people make sense of long-term health conditions. Using purposive and theoretical sampling within a grounded theory design, experiences of thrombophilia and asthma were explored. The article focuses on information gained by patients before diagnosis and how this contributes to their understanding. The study adopted a constructivist grounded theory approach, generating a theory of how individuals adapt to their long-term condition. Ethical approval was sought from the NHS and the institution at which the research was conducted. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, with sixteen participants who had provided informed consent. Individuals with …