Gender Consciousness: Understanding the Illness Experiences and Explanatory Models of Men and Women with ALS in Georgia Pubblico

Abstract

Abstract
Gender Consciousness: Understanding the Illness Experiences and Explanatory Models of Men and Women with ALS in Georgia

Narratives of illness, disability, mental disorders, genetic disorders, chronic conditions, dying and death play a key role in shaping our understanding of the human condition. In the past decades efforts have been made to better understand these anthropological illness narratives, with an increasing on chronic illness. This medical anthropological research project is a crosssectional study of the illness experience of men and women with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS. ALS presents a particular set of challenges for the construction of an illness narrative, as it has no known etiology, no treatment, and no cure. A critical medical anthropological approach is used to examine the limits and challenges of biomedicine through the lived experience of men and women with a visible and life-limiting chronic illness. The research aims were: 1) determine how health behaviors (with regard to terminal illness) vary between genders 2) identify the impact of gender on the attitudes of men and women with ALS related to family, emotional support, identity, and explanatory models 3) understand how individuals cope with an illness with no known etiology, no treatment and no cure. The study used nine participants, five men and four women living in Georgia. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to collect data, including: semi-structured interviews, structured questionnaire including psychosocial instruments to assess coping style, and participant observation of support group meetings. Results identified both gendered and universal themes among individuals with ALS, and reflect various coping measures and health behaviors that emerge for men and women with ALS.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents
Preface
Chapter 1: Introduction/Background

Introduction
The Project
Illness Narratives
Gender and Illness
Chronicity
Disease vs. Illness

Chapter 2: Literature Review of ALS

History of ALS
Symptoms of ALS
Diagnosis/Etiology

Chapter 3: Methodology

Study Population
Study Design
Data Analysis
Limitations

Chapter 4: ALS Stories

Demographics of Study Population
Narratives
Support Groups
Brief COPE Questionnaire Results

Chapter 5: Discussion

Unique female experiences
Unique male experiences
Common experiences
Explanations and factors affecting illness experiences
Future Research
Conclusion

Bibliography

About this Honors Thesis

Rights statement

• Permission granted by the author to include this thesis or dissertation in this repository. All rights reserved by the author. Please contact the author for information regarding the reproduction and use of this thesis or dissertation.

School	Emory College
Department	Anthropology
Degree	BA
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Anthropology, Medical and Forensic
Parola chiave	chronic illness illness narrative gender
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Brown, Peter J, Emory University
Committee Members	Stolley, Karen, Emory University Armelagos, George, Emory University Stutz, Aaron, Emory University

Ultima modifica

Primary PDF

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Actions
	Gender Consciousness: Understanding the Illness Experiences and Explanatory Models of Men and Women with ALS in Georgia ()	2018-08-28 10:16:52 -0400	Press to Select an action Download

Supplemental Files

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Actions