title: Body image, aging, and identity in women over 50: The Gender and Body Image (GABI) study.
abstract: We conducted a qualitative study of 1,849 women over age 50 to capture the thoughts, feelings, and attitudes that women at middle age have about their bodies and the experience of aging. Via an open-ended question online survey, four primary themes emerged: (a) the physical and psychological experience of aging; (b) the injustices, inequities, and challenges of aging; (c) the importance of self-care; and (d) a plea for recognition of the need to maintain a contributory role in society. Results highlight the complexities of women's psychological and physical aspects of aging and point toward important topics worthy of further study in this growing population.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill , North Carolina , USA.|b Veritas Collaborative , Durham , North Carolina , USA.
authors.forename: Sara M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hofmeier
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill , North Carolina , USA.|c Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences , Stanford University , Stanford , California , USA.
authors.forename: Cristin D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Runfola
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill , North Carolina , USA.|d Department of Psychology , Southern Methodist University , Dallas , Texas , USA.
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sala
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill , North Carolina , USA.|e Department of Psychology , Saint Louis University , Saint Louis , Missouri , USA.
authors.forename: Danielle A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Gagne
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill , North Carolina , USA.
authors.forename: Kimberly A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Brownley
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill , North Carolina , USA.|f Department of Nutrition , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill , North Carolina , USA.|g Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics , Karolinska Institute , Stockholm , Sweden.
authors.forename: Cynthia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Bulik
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D016387:Women's Health
keywords: Aging; body image; identity; midlife; women