[Health as expanding consciousness: based on the experiences of victims of sexual violence].
OBJECTIVE
This study was to explore health experiences of victims of sexual violence reflected in Newman's health as expanding consciousness theory.


METHODS
Nurse as researcher use Newman's praxis methodology because it is good for showing the process of interaction between researcher and sexual abuse victims.


RESULTS
The significant characteristics of early health experiences during negative situations were a lot of suffering. However, after a turning point in health experience, the health experiences of most of the participants evolved as expanding consciousness.


CONCLUSIONS
The study has provided support for Newman's theory of health. Most of the participants recognised meanings in their patterns and trustful caring relationships with the nurse as researcher. Pattern recognition as a nursing practice was a meaningful transforming process in the participant-nurse partnership.
Gong
Su-Ja
SJ
Chosun Nursing College, Gwang Ju 502-825, Korea. sjgong@venus.cnc.ac.kr
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003243:Consciousness; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000523:psychology*