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Self‐care practices among young adult married women
Author(s) -
Woods Nancy F.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
research in nursing and health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1098-240X
pISSN - 0160-6891
DOI - 10.1002/nur.4770080304
Subject(s) - self care , medicine , medical prescription , health care , coping (psychology) , gerontology , family medicine , psychiatry , nursing , economics , economic growth
The purpose of this study was to explore the universal and illness‐related, self‐care activities employed by young adult women. Ninety‐six women 20 to 40 years of age kept a daily health diary for 3 weeks in which they reported their regular health care, symptoms experienced each day, and self‐care actions in response to symptoms. Women reported a total of 1,140 universal self‐care activities over the 3‐week period. Vitamin use accounted for over half of the self‐care activities, with contraceptive use and prescription medications each accounting for 15% to 20% of universal self‐care activities. The women engaged in a total of 464 illness‐related, self‐care activities. Self‐care patterns revealed a variety of self‐care measures and coping with symptoms in ways specific to the symptoms.