With increasing age, the risk of developing chronic illnesses is also believed to elevate in women. Now, researchers are trying to evaluate the mechanism of how women cope with such illnesses by drawing strength from spirituality and social networks. This research is to be conducted by the experts from Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing and the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences.
The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Promotion estimates that around 80% of older women may be suffering from one or more than one chronic illness. More so, it was also presumed that around 50% of the elderly may be suffering from more than one such illness.
For the purpose of evaluating this issue, Camille Warner and Kathryn Betts Adams were believed to be involved in this research. These experts mainly aim to determine if spirituality and social networks may have any association with how women aging 65 or above cope with chronic illnesses like hypertension, arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, etc.
Warner says that, “Women traditionally are the healthcare managers in the family. But how well they are coping and managing their own health problems is increasingly important as women live longer and many times live alone in the community.â€
For this research, these experts hope to employ around 125 women who may be living with family members or alone in community housing without any assisted living support. These participants will apparently be questioned on the spiritual aspect of their lives and also on the various activities that they undergo to remain involved with their friends or other people.
Following which, these women will also have to undergo a follow-up questionnaire 6 months after the research. This questionnaire may aid the experts in verifying the alterations that spirituality or social activity may have brought about in their over-all perspective of life. Apart from this, the experts also hope to evaluate if these alterations may assist women in tactfully dealing with their chronic illnesses.
Based on the findings from previous analysis, these researchers hope to set up an intervention to assist healthcare and social workers to help elderly women cope with their illnesses.