Chronic conditions are ongoing, have a pattern of recurrence or deterioration, and produce consequences impacting an individual’s quality of life. An estimated 164 million Americans are expected to be affected by chronic conditions by the year 2025 (Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, 2016). College students with chronic conditions face unique challenges making it difficult to succeed in traditional degree programs due to unpredictable shifts in wellness. The purpose of this qualitative research was to discover the lived experience of college students with chronic conditions. Eight adult, full-time, traditional university students with chronic conditions were recruited and participated in a one-time, face-to-face interview. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and reviewed for common themes. A line-by-line coding technique for thematic analysis was used in which recurring meaningful similarities were identified. Four overall themes emerged: imposing symptoms, fluctuating routines, balancing identities, and furthering acceptance. This research reveals implications for occupational therapists to promote success within postsecondary educational settings through intervention services such as providing energy and fatigue management education, promoting occupational balance, and skill building interventions to address time management and resilience.
","abstract_html":"<p>Chronic conditions are ongoing, have a pattern of recurrence or deterioration, and produce consequences impacting an individual’s quality of life. An estimated 164 million Americans are expected to be affected by chronic conditions by the year 2025 (Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, 2016). College students with chronic conditions face unique challenges making it difficult to succeed in traditional degree programs due to unpredictable shifts in wellness. The purpose of this qualitative research was to discover the lived experience of college students with chronic conditions. Eight adult, full-time, traditional university students with chronic conditions were recruited and participated in a one-time, face-to-face interview. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and reviewed for common themes. A line-by-line coding technique for thematic analysis was used in which recurring meaningful similarities were identified. Four overall themes emerged: imposing symptoms, fluctuating routines, balancing identities, and furthering acceptance. This research reveals implications for occupational therapists to promote success within postsecondary educational settings through intervention services such as providing energy and fatigue management education, promoting occupational balance, and skill building interventions to address time management and resilience. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Harlan, Kelley Lynn"],"institution":"Eastern Kentucky University","degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Master's","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2020,"date_issued":"2020-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2020-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:00Z","subjects":["chronic condition","college","disability accommodations","Model of Human Occupation","occupational therapy","university","Higher Education"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright 2020 Kelley Lynn Harlan"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/726","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Harlan, Kelley Lynn"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master's"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Eastern Kentucky University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["chronic condition","college","disability accommodations","Model of Human Occupation","occupational therapy","university","Higher Education"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright 2020 Kelley Lynn Harlan"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/726"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Chronic conditions are ongoing, have a pattern of recurrence or deterioration, and produce consequences impacting an individual’s quality of life. An estimated 164 million Americans are expected to be affected by chronic conditions by the year 2025 (Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, 2016). College students with chronic conditions face unique challenges making it difficult to succeed in traditional degree programs due to unpredictable shifts in wellness. The purpose of this qualitative research was to discover the lived experience of college students with chronic conditions. Eight adult, full-time, traditional university students with chronic conditions were recruited and participated in a one-time, face-to-face interview. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and reviewed for common themes. A line-by-line coding technique for thematic analysis was used in which recurring meaningful similarities were identified. Four overall themes emerged: imposing symptoms, fluctuating routines, balancing identities, and furthering acceptance. This research reveals implications for occupational therapists to promote success within postsecondary educational settings through intervention services such as providing energy and fatigue management education, promoting occupational balance, and skill building interventions to address time management and resilience.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/PDF"]},{"key":"dc:source","label":"Dc Source","values":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Living with a Chronic Condition: Perspectives of College Students at a Public Institution of Higher Education"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Harlan, Kelley Lynn"],"dc:description.abstract":["Chronic conditions are ongoing, have a pattern of recurrence or deterioration, and produce consequences impacting an individual’s quality of life. An estimated 164 million Americans are expected to be affected by chronic conditions by the year 2025 (Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, 2016). College students with chronic conditions face unique challenges making it difficult to succeed in traditional degree programs due to unpredictable shifts in wellness. The purpose of this qualitative research was to discover the lived experience of college students with chronic conditions. Eight adult, full-time, traditional university students with chronic conditions were recruited and participated in a one-time, face-to-face interview. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and reviewed for common themes. A line-by-line coding technique for thematic analysis was used in which recurring meaningful similarities were identified. Four overall themes emerged: imposing symptoms, fluctuating routines, balancing identities, and furthering acceptance. This research reveals implications for occupational therapists to promote success within postsecondary educational settings through intervention services such as providing energy and fatigue management education, promoting occupational balance, and skill building interventions to address time management and resilience.
"],"dc:format":["application/PDF"],"dc:identifier":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/726"],"dc:publisher":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"],"dc:rights":["Copyright 2020 Kelley Lynn Harlan"],"dc:source":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"],"dc:subject":["chronic condition","college","disability accommodations","Model of Human Occupation","occupational therapy","university","Higher Education"],"dc:title":["Living with a Chronic Condition: Perspectives of College Students at a Public Institution of Higher Education"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master's"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"],"thesis:institution_name":["Eastern Kentucky University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:00Z"}