Table 3.

Subcategories, main categories, and main themes of SLE-afflicted patients’ experiences of uncertainty and their strategies to cope with it

Subcategories	Main Categories	Themes
Perception of threat to health Latent fear in daily life Unwanted turn into a burden	Perception of threat to health	Life in the fog
Delayed diagnosis Doubt over disclosing SLE	Challenge of doubt and certainty
Wandering in unawareness Annoying preoccupations	Indefinite future
Acceptance of God’s will Performance of religious practices	Spirituality	Attempt to find peace
Intentional forgetfulness Self-control and self-reliance	Reflection
Seeking information from the treating physician Seeking information in cyberspace Using the useful experiences of peers	Attempt to acquire SLE-related knowledge