Effects of chronic illness on daily life and barriers to self-care for older women: A mixed-methods exploration |
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| Authors: | Amy Restorick Roberts Kathryn Betts Adams Camille Beckette Warner |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Family Studies and Social Work, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, USA;2. Independent Consultant, Cardiff, California, USA;3. Former Associate Professor, Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA;4. Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA |
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| Abstract: | This mixed-methods study examined the subjective experience of living with chronic illness and identified barriers to self-care. Community-dwelling older women with chronic illness completed an initial (N = 138) and follow-up mailed survey 6 months later (N = 130). On average, participants reported four comorbid health conditions and the corresponding physical pain, activities curtailed or relinquished, and time and energy focused on managing health. Only 34% of participants practiced all 10 key self-care behaviors. Reported barriers to self-management included pain, lack of financial resources, and worry. In the regression analysis, having more depressive symptoms was a significant predictor of challenges with self-care behaviors. |
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| Keywords: | Chronic illness depression health self-care self-management women |
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