Table 2.

Guiding topics

1. How do CHARACTERISTICS OF PLWRA (e.g., age, gender, SES, support network, culture, geographic location, personality) influence (a) their help-seeking behaviour and (b) their acceptance or rejection of services/treatments offered?

2. How does the NATURE OF THE DISEASE AND ITS SPECIFIC PRESENTATION influence a PlwRA’s (a) help-seeking behaviour and (b) acceptance or rejection of services/treatments offered?

3. How do INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE PLWRA AND THE HEALTHCARE PROVIDER* influence the person’s success in securing appropriate treatment or referrals? This includes both the PlwRA’s presentation of symptoms and the healthcare provider’s response (how is this influenced by their training, bias, approach to care – person-centred/not – etc.?)

4. How does the CONFIGURATION OF THE HEALTHCARE SERVICE/SYSTEM influence the PlwRA’s perception of the accessibility/suitability of the care or treatment they need and their ability to gain access?

5. How do ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS beyond the health service/system (e.g., internet availability, transportation systems, weather, policies around physical accessibility…) influence the PlwRA’s ability to find the care/treatment they need and physically access it?

*Health care providers of interest were mainly primary care physicians and rheumatologists, but the review also considered other primary care providers and allied healthcare professionals such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, podiatrists, nurse specialists, pharmacists, etc