Environmental issues affected women's caring
Objective
To provide an exploratory theory of women's caring within the larger sociopolitical environment.
Design
Feminist grounded theory.
Setting
Rural and urban areas of a province in eastern Canada.
Patients
21 women who were caring for well, physically or mentally handicapped, acute and chronically ill selves, partners, children, or other family members were studied. Women from diverse socioeconomic situations, cultures, sexual orientations, educational backgrounds, and abilities were included.
Methods
Data were collected using individual or group interviews, participant observation at self help groups and health information sessions, and previous interviews with parents.
Main results
The most difficult feature of caring was the competing and changing demands from themselves and others. Women managed the demands using a dynamic process named precarious ordering that involved moving …
