Families, social support, and self-care among older African-American women with chronic illness.
OBJECTIVE
This study describes the specific type and extent of social support provided by family members to older African-American women managing chronic disease.


METHODS
Qualitative study with multiple in-depth interviews conducted over a 2-year time period.


METHODS
Participants were interviewed in their homes in a large Midwestern city.


METHODS
This was a purposeful study group of 12 middle-aged and older African-American women with diagnosed early-stage heart disease and other comorbidities.


METHODS
Data were collected on women's beliefs about their heart disease and their descriptions of how family members helped or inhibited their self-care practices. Women's descriptions of family social support were analyzed as to the type and influence.


RESULTS
Most women lived in interdependent, multigenerational situations with family members providing: instrumental support; a passive form of informational support based on family history of heart disease that was used to make health comparisons and evaluate heart health; and behavioral support, which emerged, in terms of reinforcement or discouragement of lifestyle behavior changes, as a sometimes significant barrier to practicing chronic illness self-care.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings, while not statistically representative, demonstrate the significant influence that family members have on older women's chronic illness self-care activities. The positive and sometimes negative effects of living with multiple generations suggest the need for culturally relevant, family-based, chronic illness interventions for African-Americans.
Warren-Findlow
Jan
J
Department of Public Health Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223-0001, USA. jwarren1@uncc.edu
Prohaska
Thomas R
TR
D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005190:Family / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012944:Social Support