Dependent-care by battered women: protecting their children.
The phenomenon of battered women's dependent-care (Orem, 1991), that is, their efforts to prevent hazards to the life, health, and well-being of their children, was examined. Open-ended, semi-structured interviews were conducted with mothers (N = 50) at battered women's shelters in a metropolitan area in the Midwest. The women demonstrated deliberate, creative, and diverse dependent-care. Caring action and timing provided the basis for patterns of dependent-care. Health care providers need to recognize these caring actions and consider their value from the perspective of battered women.
Humphreys
J C
JC
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D018585:Battered Women; D002648:Child; D002654:Child Care; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research