Psychosocial health needs of older women: urban versus rural comparisons

The population of older women who live alone is rapidly expanding. For a variety of reasons, mental health needs often are not treated. A stress-coping framework guided this study of psychosocial health needs in both urban and rural women. Urban women reported higher levels of stress and greater use of community services. Forty-two percent of the total group of women reported that they had either used psychotropic drugs or felt a need for them and, yet only 2% had ever used outpatient mental health services. Implications for nurses are discussed.