Abstract

Objective: The objective of the present study was to analyze and describe the phenomenon of learning to live with long-term illness. Method: The design and implementation of the research was based on a reflective lifeworld approach. The study consisted of interviews with people who live with different types of long-term illness. Results: Learning to live with a long-term illness happens in such a way as to respond to the will to live everyday life. The essential meaning of learning to live with long-term illness is constituted by the following elements: learning to know and live with a stranger, the driving forces of learning, learning methods are a balancing act, making the illness visible, as well as seeking knowledge and understanding. The result of the learning process can be understood as movement to a new understanding that is shown in the way the person with the illness acts and gives herself with the illness more space in life. Conclusion: The results show that genuine learning is something that differs from learning information and that the learning must be supported by the sufferer’s situation for a long period of time at an existential level.

Highlights

  • Patient experiences of living with long-term-illness have been described in several studies [1,2]

  • Previous research shows that the starting point for patient education often was a bio-medical or the so-called external perspective on illness [4]

  • The study has focused on the learning process dealing mainly with genuine learning, something which I maintain is rare in the present day caregiver patient relation and much differs from the learning of information [8,21]

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Summary

Introduction

Patient experiences of living with long-term-illness have been described in several studies [1,2] Suffering from such an illness is a life-changing process [3] and generates a need to learn. Previous research shows that the starting point for patient education often was a bio-medical or the so-called external perspective on illness [4]. This has been shown in research where the effects of patient education have been studied in the form of measureable values [5]. The motives exist for carrying out research of the learning process inpatients from a caring science perspective based on the life-world approach

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