Women have headaches, men have backaches: patterns of illness in an Appalachian community

In an Appalachian area in the United States, the incidence of women's headaches and men's backaches is not within normal patterns of medical statistics. Appalachian perceptions of disability contrast with the predominate society. Disability is inevitable and inevitably accompanies age. Virtually all incapacity is deemed disabling, but to be a 'deserving disabled person', one must be 'moral' and physically active. As 'goodchristians', members of the community must minister to the disabled and their families. Customarily rehabilitation is not viewed as a viable option. This initial exploration suggests psychosocial correlations and value orientation as preliminary explanations.