Age of despair or age of hope? Elderly Palestinian women's perspectives on health in midlife

Publication date: 21 February 2018 Source:The Lancet, Volume 391, Supplement 1 Author(s): Doaa Hammoudeh, Ernestina Coast, Rita Giacaman, David Lewis, Yoke Rabaia, Tiziana Leone Background Few studies exist of women's experiences and understanding of health in the transition from reproductive to post-reproductive age. Available data is from high-income settings, and most studies tend to focus on women of reproductive age. Little is known about women's perspectives in the Palestinian context. The aim of this study was to add to our understanding of Palestinian women's midlife experiences, looking beyond reproduction and childbearing, and how elderly Palestinian women understand, explain, and manage their midlife health. Methods We recruited women aged 40–55 years for an in-depth interview using a life-history approach. To maximise heterogeneity, we included women living in the north, south, and central West Bank and women living in rural, urban, and camp settings with diverse economic and social conditions (education, employment, marital status). We analysed women's verbatim narratives to identify key themes and subthemes. Ethical approval was obtained from Birzeit University and the London School of Economics. Findings 35 women were interviewed between Feb 1 and Aug 31, 2015. Many women articulated a positive view about ageing and midlife as a natural process. Perspectives were often linked with their own mothers' experiences, which was the main source of knowledg...
Source: The Lancet - Category: General Medicine Source Type: research