Emotional and cognitive experiences of women with varied chronic diseases : a qualitative inquiry

The researcher for this study attempted to answer the question, "Can the experiences of women who have varied chronic diseases provide insights for the development of meaningful support groups?" Each of the six women participated in an in-depth interview. Both the literature review and the implications of the research disclosed patterns in their experiences that involved psychological well-being regarding intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The one area that was evident in all of the interviews and rarely addressed in the literature was the demeaning and disrespectful treatment these women experienced from the medical community. For some, it took years to get a diagnosis.

The three themes that emerged from this study were dealing with symptoms, attitude toward medical care and sacrifices. Dealing with symptoms involved ways the women found to cope with their disease. These ways included understanding from others, a positive attitude and setting pragmatic objectives for their day. Their attitude toward medical care included both trust and mistrust of the medical community. The greatest resource many of the women had was their own study about their particular disease. Sacrifices included the loss of normal and often cherished activities, the trauma of not meeting one's own or others' expectations, and the need to make decisions to participate in activities in spite of consequences. A wealth of material for support groups can be collected from the experiences of these six women.