Table 1 The interview guide

The following questions were used as an interview guide. Commencing with an icebreaker, questions may be asked in a different order, omitted or added depending on participants’ responses.

1. How long have you had Addison’s disease? Tell me more. Diagnosed when and how? Medication?

2. Have you been advised what to do with your medication in times of stress/illness? Who gave the advice? When? Give me examples what you would do when you experience

 -a cold

 -a temperature

 -an infection

 -diarrhoea

 -vomiting

 -psychological distress, e.g. car accident without injury, bereavement

 -surgery

 -dental treatment

3. Have you ever been advised to stop your steroids? By whom? When?

4. Have you ever been advised to carry or wear anything stating your illness/medication?

5. Have you ever been in contact with a support group? What information/advice did they give you?

6. Do you have an emergency hydrocortisone injection kit? Have you ever needed to use this? If not, is this something you would consider having?

7. Have you ever had an Addisonian crisis? Tell me what happened? What precipitated this? What happened when you got to hospital?

8. What education/advice would you like to have had when diagnosed? On a regular basis?

9. Do you have to take anything into account about your illness if you are going on holiday?

10. Is there anything else you would like to talk about/add?