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How elderly women cope: concerns and strategies
1School of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 53201.
Public Health Nursing (Boston, Mass.)
|September 1, 1992
Summary
Elderly women utilize various coping strategies for aging challenges. Direct action approaches were linked to reduced psychological distress, offering insights for nursing care.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Psychology
- Nursing
Background:
- Aging presents multifaceted challenges for elderly individuals.
- Understanding coping mechanisms is crucial for supporting healthy aging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the problems faced by elderly women due to aging.
- To identify and analyze their coping strategies for real-life and hypothetical issues.
- To examine the relationship between coping strategies and psychological distress.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative content analysis of descriptions from 42 elderly women.
- Categorization of problems and coping strategies across seven life areas.
- Assessment of strategies for real-life versus hypothetical problems.
Main Results:
- Spontaneously reported coping strategies aligned with existing theories.
- Strategies varied based on the area of concern and problem type (real-life vs. hypothetical).
- Direct action coping strategies correlated with lower psychological distress.
Conclusions:
- Elderly women's coping strategies are diverse and context-dependent.
- Direct action is a potentially beneficial coping mechanism for reducing distress in aging.
- Findings inform nursing research and practice for enhanced elder care.
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