| 11) Finlayson (2004) | Phenomenological approach | 27 (4♂) patients with MS Sub-types Not given Mean age: 62 years Age range: 55 - 82 years Mean time with illness: 20 years Mean time until diagnosis: 22 years | Sampling: purposive Eligibility: a) 55 years if older, b) diagnosed with MS for at least 15 years, c) speak English, d) access to a private location for interview. Setting: Patients homes Study geographical location: United States of America | Data collection tool: semi structured interviews Study Aim: “exploratory study focused on describing the health concerns and service needs of older adults with MS… developing an understanding of living and aging with MS” (page 56) Average interview time: 107 minutes Interview time range: not given Analysis: thematic analysis accompanied with software |
| 12) Finlayson et al. (2005) * same sample ? excluded for totals | Mixed method | 27 (4♂) patients with MS Sub-types Not given Mean age: 62 years Age range: 55 - 82 years Mean time with illness: 22 years Mean time until diagnosis: 20 years | Sampling: purposive Eligibility: a) 55 years if older, b) diagnosed with MS for at least 15 years, c) speak English, d) access to a private location for interview. Setting: Patients homes Study geographical location: United States of America | Data collection tool: Semi-structured interview guide which focused on the participants’ perspective of aging Study Aim: “For this reason, the authors set out to identify what people who are ageing with MS describe as the positive and negative aspects of living with the disease” (pages 117 - 118) Average interview time: 107 minutes Interview time range: Analysis: content analysis |
| 13) Fallahi-Khoshknab et al. (2014) | “naturalistic paradigm” | 25 (7♂) patients with MS Sub-types Not given Mean age: not given Age range: 20 - 55 years Mean time with illness: 10 years. Range 4 - 20 years. Mean time until diagnosis: not given. | Sampling: purposive Eligibility: a) having MS for at least or more than 1 year, b) no hearing or speaking impairments, c), awareness of phenomenon that was being considered, d) no other pathological condition Setting: not given. Study geographical location: Iran | Data collection tool: semi-structured interview. Questions considered thoughts and feelings following diagnosis Study Aim: “to elicit the experience of patients faced with an MS diagnosis and to explore its dimensions.” (page 276) Average interview time: 45 - 75 minutes. Interview time range: not known. Analysis: unclear |
| 14) Fong et al. (2006) * same sample― excluded for totals | In-depth interviews | 27 (4♂) patients with MS Sub-types Not given Mean age: 62 years Age range: 55 - 82 years Mean time with illness: 22 years Mean time until diagnosis: 20 years | Sampling: purposive Eligibility: a) 55 years if older, b) diagnosed with MS for at least 15 years, c) speak English, d) access to a private location for interview. Setting: Patients homes Study geographical location: United States of America | Data collection tool: Semi-structured interview guide which focused on the participant’s perspective of aging Study Aim: “explore the social experiences of those aging with multiple sclerosis from their own perspective.” (page 696) Average interview time: 107 minutes Interview time range: Analysis: content analysis |
| 15) Gagliardi et al. (2002) | Naturalistic case study method | 18 (9♂) patients with MS Sub-types Not given Mean age: not given Age range: 27 - 61 years Mean time with illness: not given Mean time until diagnosis: not given | Sampling: purposive Eligibility: (a) a diagnosis of MS Setting: in person or telephone interviews Study geographical location: United States of America | Data collection tool: guided conversations using an in depth interview Study Aim: Consider what it is like to live with MS by analysing based on the Roy mode of adaptation Average interview time: Interview time range: Analysis: Roy adaptation rules for research |
| 16) Gaskill et al. (2011) | Mixed methods | 16 (5♂) patients with MS Sub-types Not given Mean age: 54 years Age range: 21 -64 years Mean time with illness: 15 years. Mean time until diagnosis: not given | Sampling: purposive Eligibility: a) endorse suicide ideation, b) attended MS centre hospital, c) clinician diagnosis of MS, Setting: unclear. Study geographical location: United States of America | Data collection tool: Open ended questions considered the context, meaning and function of suicide ideation, as well as association of suicide ideation with time of day, symptoms and family problems Study Aim: explore meanings of suicide ideation for individuals with MS Average interview time: Interview time range: 40 - 60 minutes Analysis: General thematic analysis |