The DOI matches its Crossref record; 28 of the 31 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Chronic illness – a disruption in life: identity‐transformation among women with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia
Abstract
Chronic illness – a disruption in life: identity‐transformation among women with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia Background. People with chronic illnesses often suffer from identity‐loss. Empirical research concerning patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or fibromyalgia has not, however, adequately addressed the consequences of these illnesses for identity. Aim. The aim of this article is to describe how women with CFS and fibromyalgia create new concepts of identity after the onset of illness, and how they come to terms with their newly arisen identities. I aim to illuminate the biographical work done by these individuals, which includes a re‐evaluation of their former identity and life. This process is illustrated by the following themes: An earlier identity partly lost and Coming to terms with a new identity. Method. The study is based on interviews with 25 women in Sweden, 12 with the diagnosis of CFS and 13 diagnosed with fibromyalgia. A grounded theory orientated approach was used when collecting and analysing the data. Findings. The main findings are that: (1) the illnesses can involve a radical disruption in the women’s biography that has profound consequences for their identity, particularly in relation to work and social life, (2) biographical disruptions are partial rather than total, calling for different degrees of identity transformation, (3)␣many of the women also experience illness gains in relation to the new identity. Conclusions. Thus, the biographical disruption and illness experience comprised both losses and illness gains that had consequences for identity.
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“Clinical symptoms caused subjects to adjust the manner in which they approached their work tasks, including the need for pacing themselves and prioritizing work assignments.89”
From Does work have to be so painful? A review of the literature examining the effects of fibromyalgia on the working experience from the patient perspective (2020) · cites this paper as [89]
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“The more active the subjects’ lives had been prior to their diagnosis, the more difficult the readjustment of identity was.89”
From Does work have to be so painful? A review of the literature examining the effects of fibromyalgia on the working experience from the patient perspective (2020) · cites this paper as [89]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Asbring, P.
- Venue
- Journal of Advanced Nursing
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2001-05-09
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 312-319
- ISSN
- 0309-2402 (ISSN-L)
- 1365-2648
- OpenAlex
- W2133289097
- Cited by
- 277
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 3.20
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Advanced Nursing (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Research and Theory › Nursing care and research
- Keywords
- chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, identity transformation, women, biographical disruption, identity loss, work and social life, lived experience of chronic illness
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Aged, Chronic Disease, Female, Fibromyalgia, Grief, Humans, Life Change Events, Middle Aged, Quality of Life, Surveys and Questionnaires, Self Concept, Sick Role, Social Behavior, Social Isolation, Sweden, Women, Work, Nursing Methodology Research, Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic, Cost of Illness
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