Table 2.
Themes resulting from inductive thematic analysis, with examples from urban (U) and rural (R) participants
| Themes | Verbatim example [participant ID] |
|---|---|
| Common themes among urban and rural participants | |
| Community services | I’ve never had anything to do with The Arthritis Society. I read about it and listened to their speeches, but I don’t think it’s for me […]. It doesn’t seem to have the symptoms I have. Arthritis, it comes and goes and does different things. Osteoarthritis is different because your bones wear away. [U7] |
| I think for sure they (The Arthritis Society) are lacking, if I don’t even know they are in the area, unless I’ve drawn a complete blank. I think that is super lacking. [R1] | |
| Social networks | Everybody always feels better after they talked to somebody, we always feel kind of supported. I’m not the only one who’s got this pain! [U9] |
| My sister was the first one who told me a better get to a doctor because I was limping but I said it doesn’t hurt. But you’re limping! You better get to a doctor. [R8] | |
| Self-directed information seeking | I look at every bulletin board, I read every newspaper, I read every event that’s happening […] but a lot of people aren’t into that. [U8] |
| I do my own investigation […] it is best to get your own information. [R4] | |
| Attitudes toward medication | I have medication that I have, but I’m not taking it if I don’t have to […] I have a phobia with medications. If I don’t have to take it, I don’t. [U5] |
| One thing I keep asking her (general practitioner) is what damage am I doing to myself with the medications I’m on and I never really get that explained to me. [R4] | |
| Formal support | The doctor has given me a little information. Actually, very little. Basically, her information has been, uhh, you know what, live with it […] But you see to me, that’s a no-good answer. Yeah, I now know, there is something you could do about it. [U2] |
| I don’t go in completely complaining about my hands or my fingers too. So I guess they don’t really address it that much. [R1] | |
| Trial and error | I’ve learned to never say no and never say never […] if somebody came along to me and said, hey you know what? This is the greatest, and you know […] why not try it? [U3] |
| I don’t know if there is any evidence, but it (strategy) certainly made a difference for me. [R5] | |
| Facilitators of OA management | […] workshops that were addressing strictly OA, that would be more of a positive step for people like me. A general arthritis workshop, I don’t think works if you have something specific. [U11] |
| If people were more aware of how bad it can be, how painful it can be, you know, just like the people who don’t have it […] helpful for them to understand what you are going through. [R2] | |
| Individual contextualization of OA | If you’ve got it, you’ve got it, I don’t think there’s any cure for it period. I think if you’ve got osteoarthritis your bones are wearing away, it doesn’t matter what you’re plastering them with, it’s not going to stop it! [U7] |
| I think people who sit back and let it get to them are just going to get worse. I get up and keep working to make sure I’m on the move all the time. [R4] | |
| Unique theme among rural participants | |
| Access to local care | They don’t offer any afterhours clinic […] We are very neglected in that regard up here (rural setting) […] We are very underserviced in many ways. [R1] |
| So my arthritis, because I go to a doctor at (urban setting), now I just go once a year […] my information comes from when I see my doctor in (urban setting). [R7] | |
Abbreviation: OA, osteoarthritis.