“No matter how much I was admired by others or by myself, there was still much more I had to face. “My Polio” and “My Accident” were not just my past; they were part of my present and my future” (Zola, 1982, p.84).
There are 53.9 million Americans with a disability (Jans & Stoddard, 1999); 28.6 million are women and their numbers are increasing (Gerschick, 2000). The increase is partly due to a longer lifespan for persons with disabilities, which is most pronounced among those aging with a disability since childhood (Campbell & Barras, 1999; Campbell, Sheets & Strong, 1999). For example, the average life span has increased for the nearly 700,000 with cerebral palsy and the almost 1 million polio survivors (Campbell, 1998). Regretfully, their increased life span has been accompanied by health and social problems (Campbell; Harrison & Stuifbergen, 2001).
Women with disabilities experience high rates of poverty, negative stereotypes, high rates of institutionalization (G. Frank, 2000) and increased secondary conditions and co-morbidities with aging (Harrison & Stuifbergen, 2001). These problems are costly to the individual, the family and society. The health risks associated with aging with a disability have prompted the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to include the removal of health disparities amongst people with disabilities as one of its 2010 goals, which follows the goal to remove the disparities associated with gender (U.S. DHHS, 2000).
The research available on aging and disability in women has focused primarily upon aging as a process of biological decline. There is little understanding of the
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
- STUDY PURPOSE
- BACKGROUND
- SENSITIZING FRAMEWORK
- DEFINITIONS
- ASSUMPTIONS
- SIGNIFICANCE TO NURSING
- RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
- CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF LITERATURE
- THE MEANING OF AGING
- STUDIES OF AGING WOMEN: LIFE COURSE PERSPECTIVES
- STUDIES OF AGING WITH DISABILITY
- AGING WITH POLIO/POST POLIO..
- RESEARCH SURROUNDING WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES
- Lives in Time and Place
- Human Agency....
- The Timing of Lives
- Linked Lives
- SUMMARY
- CHAPTER 3: METHODS
- RESEARCH DESIGN
- METHODOLOGY
- METHODS..
- Participant Selection Strategies ..
- Sample Selection
- Sample Size
- Recruitment
- Protection of Human Subjects...
- Data Management Strategies.
- Modes of Data Collection .....
- Interview Questions
- Demographics........
- Life Course Review Table
- Field Notes
- Modes of Data Analysis.
- Data Organization.
- Data Analysis..
- Bias Control
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
The dissertation aims to explore the meaning of aging for women who have lived with disabilities since childhood. The study will use a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to investigate the experiences of women who survived paralytic polio in childhood and are now aging into late adulthood.- The meaning of aging for women with childhood-onset disabilities
- The lived experiences of women who survived paralytic polio
- The impact of disability on the aging process
- The social and cultural context of aging with a disability
- The challenges and opportunities faced by women with disabilities as they age
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Chapter 1: Introduction: This chapter introduces the dissertation's purpose, background, and significance. It highlights the need for understanding the experience of aging for women with disabilities, particularly those who survived paralytic polio in childhood. The chapter also defines key terms and assumptions, and outlines the research questions.
- Chapter 2: Review of Literature: This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the existing literature on aging, aging women, aging with disability, and research surrounding women with disabilities. It explores various theoretical frameworks and research findings relevant to the study's focus.
- Chapter 3: Methods: This chapter outlines the research design, methodology, and data collection and analysis procedures. It describes the participant selection strategies, sample size, recruitment process, and data management strategies. The chapter also details the interview questions, demographic information, and modes of data analysis.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This dissertation focuses on the unique experiences of aging among women with disabilities, particularly those who survived paralytic polio. The research delves into the meaning of aging, the impact of disability on the aging process, and the social and cultural contexts surrounding aging with a disability. The study utilizes a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to gain a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of these women. Key themes include the life course, human agency, and the influence of social and cultural factors on aging with a disability.- Quote paper
- Faith Kamau (Author), 2009, Aging Among Women with Disabilities, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/265571
