Illness Representations and Lived Experience in Early-Stage Dementia

Bibliographic Data

ID4639522
AuthorsGuy Harman (Mental Health Services for Older People, Woodland Centre, Hillingdon PCT, Hillingdon Hospital, Middlesex, United Kingdom), L Clare (0000-0003-3989-5318, Bangor University)
Year2006
Volume16
Issue4
Pages484-502
Publication date2006-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueQualitative Health Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1049-7323 • E-ISSN: 1552-7557
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/1049732306286851
PMID16513992
OpenAlexW2135481687
LanguageEN
Citations received28
References cited35

The self-regulation model of illness behavior provides a framework for understanding how threats to self from chronic illness can be managed and proposes a significant role for illness representations. This framework can assist in illuminating the experience of developing dementia but has not previously been considered in this context. The authors conducted semistructured interviews with 9 people who had a diagnosis of early-stage dementia to explore illness representations and how these related to daily lived experience, using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Two overarching themes emerged: It will get worse, reflecting an understanding of dementia; and I want to be me, reflecting a desire to maintain sense of identity. Participants faced a number of personal and interpersonal dilemmas. The authors present a preliminary model of the way in which illness representations contribute to the lived experience of early-stage dementia

Dementia · Developmental psychology · Disease · Interpersonal communication · Interpretative phenomenological analysis · Lived experience · Psychology of self · Psychotherapist · Qualitative research · Sociology · Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research · Medicine · Mental Health and Patient Involvement · Mental Health and Psychiatry · Psychology · Social Psychology