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. 2024 Jun 21;19(6):e0305030. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305030

Table 1. List of attributes and levels.

Attributes Levels Variable in equation
Time to diagnosis 1 year TimeD
  2 years  
  3 years  
  5 years  
Who makes the diagnosis GP DiagGP
  Rheumatologist DiagRheu
Type of treatment Medication TreatMed
  Physical Therapy TreatPT
  Talking Therapy TreatTT
Wating time for treatment 3 months TimeT
  6 months  
  12 months  
Ongoing help and advice Appointments with GP HelpGP
  Appointments with Rheumatologist HelpRheu
  Appointments with Nurse Practitioner HelpNurse
  Peer Support HelpPeer
How ongoing help and advice is provided Face-to-face appointments OngF2F
  Phone-call/video-call appointments OngCall
  Text messaging OngText

a Time to diagnosis from the start of first symptoms.

b Health care provider that makes the initial diagnosis.

c Type of help and advice received after the diagnosis.

d Patient would be prescribed a medicine, or a set of medicines or drugs, used to improve fibromyalgia symptoms.

e The patient would undertake a programme of physical exercise designed by a trained exercise professional. The type of exercise and the amount of time would be adjusted to suit their own need.

f The patient would undertake a training programme designed by a trained behavioural therapist. The programme would involve focusing on their current thoughts, beliefs and attitudes, how these affect feelings and behaviour, and learning coping skills to deal with problems.

g Following diagnosis, the waiting time to receive help and advice from a health care provider.

h Ongoing appointments to manage fibromyalgia.

I How the ongoing help and advice would be provided.