Patients' experiences with goal pursuit after discharge from rheumatology rehabilitation: A qualitative study

To explore rehabilitation goals and experiences with goal striving in patients with rheumatic diseases after rehabilitation discharge.

Thirty-three patients with rheumatic diseases participated in goal-setting conversations with healthcare professionals during a 1-week rehabilitation programme. After discharge, they received four follow-up phone calls over a period of 5 months to support individual goal striving and self-management. A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted of the patients' rehabilitation goals, action plans and their statements about their experiences pursuing their goals at home after discharge.

Analysis revealed that the experiences were related to five overarching themes: (1) things take time, (2) the importance of changing ways of thinking, (3) the pieces fall into place, (4) own health = own responsibility and (5) events outside of the plan.

At discharge, the participants had set between one and five long-term goals, focussing mainly on having a healthier lifestyle and a better quality of life. The study showed that, to a large extent, the participants employed different self-management strategies after discharge from rehabilitation. In addition, the findings demonstrated that they experienced certain challenges when pursuing their goals. These challenges were related to health problems and changes in routine, such as holidays. Health professionals should explain to participants who pursue their own rehabilitation goals after discharge that changes in habit require conscious decision-making, priority setting and time, as well as the importance of having alternative plans for holidays and periods of disease exacerbations.