Personal Perception of Health in Urban Women of Low Socioeconomic Status: A Qualitative Study.

Abstract

<b>Introduction:</b> Women of low socioeconomic status experience health disparities that contribute to poor outcomes. <b>Objectives:</b> The purpose of this study was to explore self-perception of health and health promoting behaviors in women who were patients in a federally qualified health center. <b>Methods:</b> A qualitative descriptive design was used to interview 19 women. The researchers conducted content analysis and used descriptive statistics to present participant demographics. <b>Results:</b> Women viewed health primarily as physical and themselves as <i>healthy, in-between healthy and unhealthy</i>, or <i>unhealthy. Healthy</i> women made more active attempts to improve their health, while <i>not healthy</i> women reported twice as many barriers to health maintenance and felt defined by their illnesses. <b>Conclusion:</b> Findings support that a women's self-perception of health is aligned with self-management health behaviors and health outcomes.