title: The meaning of health: perspectives of Anglo and Latino older women.
abstract: This qualitative study, utilizing the dimensional analysis approach, was conducted to generate a substantive theory about the description and meaning of functional health from the perspectives of older Anglo and Latino women. Through focus group interviews with older Anglo and Latino women and data analysis, the investigators learned that the women's perceptions of functional health were vastly different. As planners and providers, we usually are trained in a health culture that is predominantly based on White, middle-class values. This ethnocentrism can act as a barrier leading us to disregard the notion that concepts such as health are not universally perceived. Findings from this study may enable us to achieve a closer approximation of the real experiences of our clients and to sensitize us to different world views.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA, Geriatric Solutions, Phoenix, Arizona, USA. marianne.mccarthy@asu.edu
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: Ester
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gale
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Karam
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000739:Anecdotes as Topic; D001130:Arizona; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006304:Health Status; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style / Q000208:ethnology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016387:Women's Health