Monika Gustafsson ^A1, Jan Ekholm ^A1, Ann Öhman ^A2
A1 Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Rehabilitation Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
^A2 Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation/Epidemiology and Public Health Sciences, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden

DOI: 10.1080/16501970310018314

Objective : This study aimed to describe and analyse how participants with fibromyalgia or chronic, widespread, musculoskeletal pain, 1 year after completion, experienced a rehabilitation programme; and what knowledge and strategies they had gained. Design, methods and subjects : Semi-structured interviews with 16 female patients were analysed using the grounded theory method of constant comparison. Results: One core category, from shame to respect, and 4 categories, developing body awareness/knowledge, setting limits, changing self-image and negative counterbalancing factors, and hopelessness and frustration over one's employment situation emerged from the data. The core category represents a process where the informants changed emotionally. Three categories were identified as important for starting and maintaining the process, one category affected the process negatively. Conclusion: The rehabilitation programme started the process of change, from shame to respect. The informants learned new strategies for handling their pain and other symptoms; they improved their self-image and communication in their social environment.