Chronic illnesses and disabilities are the number one health
problems in North America, and are the health challenges of this era.
Many studies have investigated the illness experience for people with
chronic conditions, but little is known about how people with chronic
conditions experience feeling healthy. Recent studies indicate that
people with chronic illnesses/disabilities perceive themselves to be
predominantly healthy. What follows from these studies is the need to
know more about how health is experienced by this client group. The
purpose of this study was to investigate this phenomena of health within
illness. Specifically, the research question was: What is the meaning of
feeling healthy for people with chronic illnesses/disabilities.
An interpretive phenomenological investigation was undertaken with
eight participants living with a variety of different chronic conditions.
The results of this study provide two important findings. First, the
participants described their healing journey which brought them to the
experience of feeling healthy, and seven essential themes emerged to
describe this healing experience. These themes included; (a) In the
Beginning, (b) Hitting the Wall, (c) Turning Around, (d) Letting Go, (e)
Opening Up, (f) Letting In, and (g) The Gift. Second, the participants
described their experience of feeling healthy and six themes emerged to
describe this experience. These themes included; (a) Honouring the Self,
(b) Seeking and Connecting with Others, (c) Creating Opportunities, (d)
Celebrating Life, (e) Transcending the Self, and (f) Acquiring a State
of Grace. The rigor of this study was considered to by attending to the
auditability, credibility, applicability and confirmability of this
research method and results.
The results of this research were then compared to theories of
growth and change as a result of crisis, theories of developing
consciousness, self identity, social support, hardiness and resilience.
Also, these results were compared with other definitions of health.
Recommendations were made for further research and theory development
regarding the conceptualization of health within illness. Finally, the
implications of incorporating a health within illness perspective for
clients, nurses, and the health care system were discussed.
The reconceptualization to include the experience of health within
illness would contribute to an expanded focus for client care, and to the
promotion of health. / Graduate
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uvic.ca/oai:dspace.library.uvic.ca:1828/9669 |
| Date | 11 July 2018 |
| Creators | Liz, Lindsey |
| Contributors | Peavy, R. Vance, Hills, Marcia |
| Source Sets | University of Victoria |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | Available to the World Wide Web |
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