Table 2.
Background Information on Interviewees
| Interview | Sex | Age | Family status (a) Living situation (b) | Course of disease Time since diagnosis (in years) | Subjective affectedness | EDSS | Mental comorbidities (a)aPsychotherapy since diagnosis (b) | Occupation stateb | Educationc | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | f | 56 | (a) Married (b) With family |
Secondary progressive 26 |
8 | 8 | (a) – no (b) – no |
Retired | High school diploma | Rural |
| 2 | m | 40 | (a) Married (b) With family |
Secondary progressive 11 |
6 | 7 | (a) – no (b) – no |
Full-time working | High school diploma | Urban |
| 3 | m | 39 | (a) Unmarried (b) Alone |
Secondary progressive 5 |
8 | 6 | (a) – yes (b) – yes |
Retired | General qualification for university entrance | Urban |
| 4 | f | 40 | (a) Divorced (b) Alone |
Unknown 8 |
4 | Unknown | (a) – no (b) – no |
Retired | High school diploma | Urban |
| 5 | f | 43 | (a) Married (b) Alone with son |
Relapsing 6 |
7 | 6.5 | (a) – yes (b) – yes |
Full-time working | General qualification for university entrance | Rural |
| 6 | m | 23 | (a) Unmarried (b) Alone |
Primary progressive 7 |
6 | 3 | (a) – no (b) – no |
Full-time working | General qualification for university entrance | Urban |
| 7 | f | 35 | (a) Married (b) With family |
Relapsing 13 |
7 | 6 | (a) – no (b) – no |
Retired | General qualification for university entrance | Rural |
| 8 | f | 36 | (a) Unmarried (b) alone |
Relapsing 5 |
6 | 6.5 | (a) – no (b) – no |
Unemployed | High school diploma | Urban |
| 9 | f | 55 | (a) Married (b) With family |
Unknown 6 |
4 | 6.5 | (a) – no (b) – no |
Retired | (Qualified) school leaving exam | Rural |
| 10 | f | 73 | (a) Widowed (b) Alone |
Primary progressive 9 |
7 | 7 | (a) – yes (b) – no |
Retired | No graduation | Urban |
| 11 | f | 62 | (a) Married (b) With family |
Primary progressive 31 |
10 | 9 | (a) – no (b) – no |
Retired | High school diploma | Urban |
| 12 | m | 62 | (a) Married (b) Nursing home |
Primary progressive 18 |
6 | 6.5 | (a) – no (b) – yes |
Retired | General qualification for university entrance | Urban |
| 13 | m | 54 | (a) Married (b) With family |
Relapsing 22 |
8 | Unknown | (a) – no (b) – no |
Retired | (Qualified) school leaving exam | Rural |
| 14 | m | 34 | (a) Married (b) With family |
Relapsing 8 |
5 | 5 | (a) – no (b) – no |
Full-time working | High school diploma | Rural |
| 15 | f | 54 | (a) Unmarried (b) Alone |
Unknown 13 |
10 | 8,5 | (a) – no (b) – no |
Retired | (Qualified) school leaving exam | Rural |
|
Mean (age) Median (EDSS/ affected-ness) |
47 | 7 | 6.5 |
a
Self-report data.
b
Comment on occupational state: Reasons (age or disease) for retirement were not obtained.
c
Comment on education:
High school diploma – German “Realschulabschluss” (10 years)
General qualification for university entrance – German “Abitur” / (“Fach”-)”Hochschulreife” (12 or 13 years)
(Qualified) School leaving exam – German “Hauptschulabschluss” (9 years)
EDSS, Expanded Disease Status Scale.