Table 1.
Participant demographic information and types and amount of multiple conditions reported
| Participant pseudonym | Gender | Age at start of study | Index condition | Comorbid conditions (self‐defined) | Network typology |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catherine | Female | 36 | IBS | Occipital neuralgia, reoccurring cystitis | Friend focused |
| Chris | Male | 65 | Diabetes | None reported | Health‐care professional focused |
| James | Male | 59 | Diabetes | High blood pressure, cholesterol | Family focused |
| Beatrice | Female | 46 | Diabetes | None reported | Family focused |
| Abbie | Female | 53 | COPD | IBS, depression | Unknown |
| Tina | Female | 69 | Diabetes | Stress incontinence, eating and sleeping problems, hair loss, eye infections, skin and gum infections | Family focused |
| Adrian | Male | 82 | Diabetes | Rheumatoid arthritis, high blood pressure | Family focused |
| Don | Male | 48 | Diabetes | Cataracts and eye problems, tendonitis | Family focused |
| Adam | Male | – | Diabetes | Knee problems, kidney problems | Family focused |
| Danielle | Female | 66 | Diabetes | MS, underactive thyroid, high cholesterol | Family focused |
| Natalie | Female | 57 | IBS | High blood pressure, cholesterol, hypertension, COPD | Family focused |
| Lyn | Female | 57 | COPD | IBS | Family focused |
| Leo | Male | 51 | IBS | None reported | Family focused |
| Frank | Male | 65 | COPD | Hypertension | Health‐care professional focused |
| Tom | Male | 52 | Diabetes | High cholesterol | Health‐care professional focused |
| Rachel | Female | – | COPD | None reported | Unknown |
| Jane | Female | 55 | Diabetes | Epilepsy | Family focused |
| Sarah | Female | 31 | IBS | None reported | Family focused |
| Debbie | Female | 62 | IBS | None reported | Family focused |
| Ron | Male | 84 | Diabetes | Ischaemic heart disease, arthritis | Friend focused |
| Ted | Male | 83 | IBS | Hearing problems, high cholesterol, memory problems, back pain, signs of angina (participant wording) | Unknown |
| Isabella | Female | 50 | Diabetes | Chronic depression | Unknown |
| Kate | Female | 84 | COPD | High blood pressure, blackouts | Health‐care professional focused |
| Nancy | Female | 76 | COPD | Arthritis | Family focused |
| Jack | Male | 65 | Diabetes | High blood pressure, high cholesterol | Family focused |
| Todd | Male | 44 | IBS | None reported | Family focused |
| Zac | Male | 65 | Diabetes | Heart bypass, ulcers on bottom of feet that would not heal | Health‐care professional focused |
| Rita | Female | 25 | IBS | Anxiety problems | Friend focused |
| Matthew | Male | 69 | COPD | Oesophageal problems (caused by a hiatus hernia), feet problems | Friend focused |
| Donna | Female | 54 | Diabetes | High blood pressure and high cholesterol | Family focused |
COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; IBS, irritable bowel syndrome.