TABLE III.

Themes, Subthemes, and Representative Quotes from Study Participants

Theme	Subtheme	Quote
Images, graphics, and quotes improve the clarity of information in the journey guide	Illustrations of the brachial plexus help patients to understand BPIs and to communicate their injuries to others	“When I’m reading through, I can refer over, and look at that picture, and then connect the dots in my head. I really like having the little picture. I think having a bigger picture or a couple different diagrams, absolutely.” 22 years old; 4 years since pan-plexus BPI
	The succinct table of diagnostic tests is easily digestible	“I think, is a lot more digestible. I think this is getting closer to the approach that you’ve been talking about in terms of how you want to present the information. I think this is all good.” 28 years old; 4 years since upper-trunk BPI
	Photos of or quotes from real patients adapting to BPI feel more personalized	“I’ve seen people playing guitar instruments or doing activities that show that normal life—the new normal can still go on. I think that is valuable.” 22 years old; 4 years since pan-plexus BPI
The journey guide would be most beneficial for patients recently diagnosed with a BPI	The journey guide would be helpful immediately following diagnosis	“If this had been around when I was first injured and starting to go through this process, it probably would’ve made a lot of things easier.” 42 years old; 5 years since lower-trunk BPI
	The journey guide is less helpful for patients who have been living with a BPI for many years	“I think that being this far out, I probably wouldn’t use it. Where I would use it: as a resource to give to people that are just coming into the injury.” 22 years old; 4 years since pan-plexus BPI
	The journey guide is unique; the most common sources of information are online forums or social media	“I never came across anything like that. Certainly not in my physician’s offices.” 62 years old; 40 years since pan-plexus BPI
	The 5-year recovery timeline helps to set expectations	“It was great…especially the 5-year recovery timeline. Look, like, it’s one of those things that’s a hard pill to swallow.” 53 years old; 20 years since pan-plexus BPI
The journey guide is an effective organizational tool	Areas to record provider names, appointments, treatment plans, etc., are useful	“Maybe a section, maybe it’s 1 page, where you can put, like, “Okay, date of MRI, date of EMG,” and the doctor’s name or something like that, where you could put, “Okay, this is where I had it. This is where I had it, who performed it, and this was the date,” that you could keep a track of who you’ve seen and the tests that you’ve undergone.” 22 years old; 4 years since pan-plexus BPI
	Sections for notes are convenient for many patients	“Knowing my mom and how she’d take notes and processes information, I’m sure she would use those note lines if we were sitting down through a doctor’s appointment.” 22 years old; 4 years since pan-plexus BPI
It is difficult to orient patients toward future hardships	Pain experiences vary widely and can have major effects on daily living	“I think everybody’s situation is so different. I don’t think there’s a complete guide to help you with that.” 52 years old; 35 years since upper-trunk BPI
	Reading about BPI can be daunting	“I think all that information does need to be there, just maybe can be presented in a way that’s—to our point earlier—more digestible to somebody who’s not—somebody who’s already going through something a lot mentally and emotionally.” 28 years old; 4 years since upper-trunk BPI
	Diagnostic tests can be physically and emotionally difficult	“Yeah, those are really mentally terrible because you watch the doctor note the things that aren’t working. That one’s just an emotional one to have done.” 28 years old; 4 years since upper-trunk BPI
	Mental health is an important topic that should be highlighted	“Yes, you’re going through the physical therapies and so forth, and you’re seeing your doctor, and you’re having your tests, but if you’re not taking care of the mental part, I honestly think that’s a major missing link.” 58 years old; 2 years since upper-trunk BPI