Table 2 Thematic analysis

Familiarizing

Reading the data multiple times and noting ideas

Ideas:

• The instrument affects what is spontaneously seen as functional ability. Is this reflexivity or validity?

• Many items seems to be missing from HAQ

• HAQ complements other measurements

Coding

Applying open codes to data relevant to the research question

Coding:

• “I wish I could dress in what I wanted by myself. Just that is important. I would like to be able to shower myself, wash my hair, these kinds of practical things. Caring for myself, that would be most important” was coded as “wishing to dress, shower and wash hair by oneself”

Searching for themes

Grouping codes into initial subthemes and themes

Forming tentative subthemes (here with example of codes):

• Function affects and is affected by the HAQ ^a

o cleaning and cutting meat

o wishing to dress, shower and wash hair by oneself

o difficulty biking, drinking coffee and wiping the stove

• Missing items

o Questions missing can be discussed at the appointment

o HAQ is so narrow, I’m declared cured

Reviewing

Checking if the themes represent their codes and all relevant data

Merging subthemes and moving codes:

• The subtheme Function affects and is affected by the HAQ ^a was incorporated into Missing items because the data as a whole did not clearly support reflexivity of items

• The code “HAQ is so narrow, I’m declared cured” was moved back and forth between Static items and Missing items and ended up at Missing items

Defining

Analysis for renaming themes and formulating an explicit definition

Renaming:

• Subtheme Effect on behavior clarified as Effects on physician behavior

• A theme, A wish to change the HAQ, concerned only experiences of the individual items and not the participants’ wishes, so instead was renamed Problems with individual items