Purpose: To describe health problems among homeless women with children living in a transitional shelter, analyze how they managed various ailments and when and how they sought care.
Design: Qualitative using grounded theory and dimensional analysis.
Sample: During 1992 and 1993, data were gathered from a convenience sample of 13 Latina, 11 White, and 6 African American women (n = 30) who lived in a transitional shelter in California, USA.
Methods: In-depth, semi-structured interviews.
Findings: Despite many supportive services in transitional shelter, respondents had difficulty managing health problems. Typically, a woman reported she managed a health problem by overcoming it alone.
Conclusions: The pattern of overcoming it alone existed years before transitional shelter life, and, in many instances, persisted during shelter years.
Clinical implications: Clinical nursing interventions that address shame, fear, lack of information, and eligibility for services could improve health outcomes among women and children living in transitional shelters.