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Elderly women and stress. Does marriage make a difference?
Journal of Gerontological Nursing
|April 1, 1990
Summary
Elderly married women experience the most stress and poorest health compared to other groups. This highlights the need for targeted gerontological nursing interventions to support their coping mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Nursing
- Health Psychology
Background:
- Limited research exists on the combined impact of marital status and gender on elderly health.
- Stress affects elderly individuals, but differential impacts based on marital status and gender are under-explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the unique effects of stress on the health of elderly married women.
- To identify potential nursing interventions for promoting effective coping in this demographic.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Roy's Adaptation Model to frame the study.
- Examined stress responses across four behavioral modes: physiological, self-concept, role performance, and interdependency.
Main Results:
- Married women in the study sample reported the poorest health outcomes.
- Married women demonstrated the highest vulnerability to stress compared to other groups studied.
Conclusions:
- Marital status significantly influences how elderly women experience and are affected by stress.
- Gerontological nursing practice should consider tailored interventions for married elderly women to mitigate stress and improve health.