Stress, emotions, and coping: a study of elderly women with osteoarthritis

My purpose in conducting this study was to identify and describe the illness-related stressors and emotions experienced by elderly women with osteoarthritis and the coping strategies they used to manage these situations. The theoretical framework for the investigation was based on a process theory of stress and coping developed by Lazarus and Folkman (1984). In a home interview, 90 women completed a demographic profile and identified concerns, feelings, and coping strategies used to manage problems associated with osteoarthritis. Descriptive statistics and content analysis of data indicated that the stress of osteoarthritis involved physical, social, and psychological aspects of life and evoked both positive and negative feelings. The women used a broad repertoire of coping behaviors, including problem- and emotion-focused strategies to manage the problems associated with osteoarthritis in their day-to-day life. This information has implications in both treatment and prevention areas for health professionals who provide services for this group of people.