Subject(s)
Chronic Disease/prevention & control , Internet/organization & administration , Nurse Practitioners/organization & administration , Patient Education as Topic/organization & administration , Rural Health Services/organization & administration , Women's Health Services/organization & administration , Adaptation, Psychological , Adult , Aged , Attitude to Computers , Attitude to Health , Chronic Disease/psychology , Community-Institutional Relations , Female , Health Services Accessibility , Humans , Medically Underserved Area , Middle Aged , Montana , Nursing Evaluation Research , Nursing Methodology Research , Qualitative Research , Self Care/methods , Self Care/psychology , Social Support , Surveys and Questionnaires , Women/education , Women/psychologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To add to the knowledge base of illness management of chronically ill, rural women by describing the self-identified problems and solutions reported by women participants in the online health-education segment of the Women to Women (WTW) computer outreach project. METHODS: WTW is a research-based computer intervention providing health education and online peer support for rural women with chronic diseases. Messages posted to the online chat room were examined to determine the women's self-management problems and solutions. RESULTS: The self-identified problems were: (1) difficulties in carrying through on self-management programmes; (2) negative fears and feelings; (3) poor communication with care providers; and (4) disturbed relationships with family and friends. The self-identified solutions to these problems included problem-solving techniques that were tailored to the rural lifestyle. Although not all problems were 'solvable', they could be 'lived with' if the women's prescriptions for self-management were used. DISCUSSION: Glimpses into the women's day-to-day experiences of living with chronic illness gleaned from the interactive health-education discussions will give health professionals insights into the women's efforts to manage their illnesses. The data provide health professionals with information to heighten their sensitivity to their clients' day-to-day care and educational needs.