Table 2 Illness perceptions and personal resources of participating multimorbid patients

Consequences (0–10)

5.39 (2.62)

Consequences dichotomous (score ≥ 7)

Timeline (0–10)

9.03 (1.85)

Timeline dichotomous (score ≥ 7)

Personal control (0–10)

5.92 (2.41)

Personal control dichotomous (score ≥ 7)

Treatment control^a (0–10)

6.72 (2.18)

Treatment control dichotomous (score ≥ 7)

Identity (0–10)

5.38 (2.64)

Identity dichotomous (score ≥ 7)

Concern (0–10)

4.79 (2.78)

Concern dichotomous (score ≥ 7)

Understanding (0–10)

7.52 (2.33)

Understanding dichotomous (score ≥ 7)

Emotional response (0–10)

4.12 (2.91)

Emotional response dichotomous (score ≥ 7)

Lives with partner

There are plenty of people I can lean on when I have troubles

 No

 More or less

 Yes

Education level

 Low (primary school or low/preparatory vocational training)

 Medium (intermediate or advanced general education or intermediate vocational training)

 High (applied university, university)

How would you describe your current situation?

 I have to make debts

 I need to use my/our savings

 I get by

 I save some money

 I save a lot of money

 Healthcare provider support (HPS) (1–4)

3.04 (0.41)

 HPS dichotomous (score ≥ 3)

 Having sufficient information (HSI) (1–4)

2.95 (0.34)

 HSI dichotomous (score ≥ 3)

 Actively managing health (AMH) (1–4)

2.81 (0.39)

 AMH dichotomous (score ≥ 3)

 Social support (SS) (1–4)

2.92 (0.43)

 SS dichotomous (score ≥ 3)

 Critical appraisal (CA) (1–4)

2.60 (0.47)

 CA dichotomous (score ≥ 3)

 Active engagement with healthcare providers (AE) (1–5)

3.88 (0.64)

 AE dichotomous (score ≥ 4)

 Navigating the healthcare system (NHS) (1–5)

3.74 (0.65)

 NHS dichotomous (score ≥ 4)

 Ability to find good health information (FHI) (1–5)

3.72 (0.67)

 FHI dichotomous (score ≥ 4)

 Reading and understanding health information (UHI) (1–5)

3.83 (0.61)

 UHI dichotomous (score ≥ 4)

Mastery

Mastery scale score (7–35)

23.40 (5.11)

 Mastery scale score > 21

Mental health

HADS depression scale score (0–21)

4.48 (3.76)

 High-risk major depression (scale score ≥ 8)