Table 5.

Self-management behaviors that could either follow an on demand or transitional pattern

Type of self-management behavior, number of participants describing the behavior	Number of participants with an on demand pattern	Number of participants with a transitional pattern
	Description	Description
Stress-management
N = 9	N = 4	N = 5
	(IBD, IHD, CRD)	(rheum, IHD, diab, MS)
	Participants described how they managed stress when they were in a stressful period, e.g., when their workload caused symptoms.	Participants realized a need to manage and limit stress in their everyday life. They prioritized, planned and could for example start buying home cleaning services.
Managing leisure activities
N = 14	N = 5	N = 9
	(IBD, diab, IHD)	(all diagnoses)
	Participants did not engage in activities during periods when they had more health problems.	The participants changed the way they performed leisure activities; they evaluated their activities, took up previous activities and stopped doing some.
Self-talking strategies
N = 18	N = 6	N = 10
	(CRD, IBD, IHD, MS)	(rheum, diab, IHD, MS)
Two participants described self-talking strategies too briefly to be classified.	Participants used self-talking strategies only in situations when their disease became problematic (e.g., when the disease had symptoms or a participant was hospitalized).	Participants used self-talking strategies in everyday life as a way to enhance health and participation.

Diagnoses: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Multiple sclerosis (MS), Rheumatism (rheum), chronic renal disease (CRD), Diabetes (diab), ischemic heart disease (IHD).