Abstract
This paper compares the ways in which Anglo and Mexican American widows perceive, interpret and respond to problems of illness. It reports on a study which followed a sample of older, low income recent widows for 15 months after their bereavement. In this account Mexican American widows were found to differ from Anglo widows in aspects affecting their health: socioeconomic background, previous histories of health, health care resources and symptom care practices.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baer, H. A., M. Singer, and J. Johnsen 1986 Introduction: Toward a Critical Medical Anthropology. Social Science and Medicine 23: 95–98.
Bowling, A. 1987 Mortality After Bereavement: A Review of the Literature on Survival Periods and Factors Affecting Survival. Social Science & Medicine. Vol. 24 No. 2 pp. 117–124.
Bowling, A. and A. Cartwright 1982 Life after a Death. A Study of the Elderly Widowed. Tavistock Press, London. Pp. 106–108.
Butler, R. N. 1975 Why Survive? Being Old in America. New York: Harper & Row.
Lopata, H. Z. 1971 Widows as a Minority Group. Gerontologist 2,1: 67–77.
Lubkin, I. M. 1986 Chronic Illness: Impact & Interventions. Boston: Jones & Bartless.
Markides, K. S. and Coreil, J. 1986 The Health of Hispanics in the Southwestern United States: an Epidemiologic Paradox. Public Health Reports Vol. 101, No. 3, 253–265.
Morgan, L. A. 1976 Reexamination of Widowhood and Morale. Journal of Gerontology 31: 687–691.
Ossofski, J. 1970 The Golden Years. A Tarnished Myth. New York: National Council on Aging.
Osterweis, M., Solomon, F., and Green, M., eds. 1984 Bereavement: Reactions, Consequences and Care. Institute of Medicine. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
Raphael, B. 1984 The Anatomy of Bereavement. New York: Basic Books. Pp. 210–218.
Wiener, A., I. Gerber, D. Battin, and A. M. Arkin 1975 The Process and Quality of Bereavement. In Bereavement, Its Psychosocial Aspects. B. Schoenberg, I. Gerber, A. Wiener, A. H. Kutcher, D. Peretz, and A. C. Carr, eds. Pp. 53–65. New York: Columbia University Press.
Yeaworth, R. C. and B. Valanis 1985 Health Status and Resources of Recently Bereaved Older Persons. Public Health Nursing Vol. 2 No. 4 232–244.
Additional information
This study was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Aging, 1R01 AGO3810-03.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kay, M., Tobias, C., Ide, B. et al. The health and symptom care of widows. J Cross-Cultural Gerontol 3, 197–208 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00116677
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00116677