Table 2.

Theme 1 illustrative quotes

Theme 1: understanding the risk of developing RA
Descriptive theme	Illustrative quotes
Knowledge of RA
Individuals at-risk of RA have gained knowledge of RA through experiencing symptoms or witnessed the impact of RA on their relatives.	‘However, I do notice that I want to avoid certain situations. For instance, sometimes I put off visitors because I know they won’t understand I am in pain. Or because they don’t take into account that I have to stand up on my feet quite often. Then I prefer to say ‘Well, not today, thank you,’ instead of joining them for an outing’.33 ‘She [family member] had a life and then once the disease came and took it from her, she didn’t [anything] anymore. She couldn’t do things’.32
Individuals at-risk of RA identified a need for more knowledge about RA and risk factors.	‘Up until now I have never thought about it, what that would be like, whether it might happen’.31 ‘And I’ve heard theories, everything from it [RA] skips generations to it’s immediate, to you know it only affects the women in one side of the family. I’ve heard a whole bunch of different crazy different things’.32
Identification of potential risk factors
Individuals at-risk of RA perceived that certain factors increase the risk of developing RA.	‘Yeah, I looked it [information about RA] up online, and yes, then you see how bad it can get, and I think, well, I’m not that far along yet’.34 ‘So I know it’s blood-related…I think if it was your cousin or your aunt there’d be a slim chance…being direct blood-related, I would class myself as, or think of myself that I am at a higher risk than most’.31 ‘I think it probably half depend on what kind of person you are, I know for my sister she was much more worried than I was only because she’s a lot older than me and she’s overweight and she saw that as kind of, like without reading the letters I could figure she was going to get it more than me’.30

RA, rheumatoid arthritis.