participants’ own perceptions. All
interviews were audiotaped and
lasted from 20–65 minutes (with a
mean of 40 minutes).
Participants, who were Finnish
and lived in Eastern Finland, were
58–81 years old, and comprised
nine male and six female patients.
All had type 2 diabetes and had had
the condition for 1–31 years. Six of
them took oral medication and
nine took both oral medication
and insulin.
The data were analysed by
inductive content analysis described
by Graneheim and Lundman,29
guided by interview themes.28 The
aim of the inductive content analysis
was to find the main categories
and subcategories illustrating coping
resources. Transcribed data
amounted to 120 pages.
During the first phase of analysis,
the researcher read and re-read
the data several times aiming to get
an understanding of the material as
a whole. Individual words, word
pairs or small word groups and
clauses were used as analysis units,
and were extracted from the data,
condensed and grouped according
to the interview themes for sub- and
main categories. Analyses were
carried out by two researchers, and
the final analyses were conducted in
agreement with the discussions of
all researchers.