J Korean Acad Nurs.  2012 Aug;42(4):508-516. 10.4040/jkan.2012.42.4.508.

Phenomenology on the Lived Experience of Korean Women with Spinal Cord Injuries

Affiliations
  • 1College of Nursing, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea. teddyhm@snu.ac.kr
  • 2College of Nursing & Research Institute of Nursing Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
  • 3Department of Nursing Science, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Incheon, Korea.

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of the study was to understand and explain the essences and structures of the experience of Korean women who have had a spinal cord injury.
METHODS
The data were collected in 2010 through individual in-depth interviews using open-ended questions. A total of 9 women with spinal cord injuries participated in the study. Each interview lasted about 2 hours. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed using phenomenological analysis.
RESULTS
Five theme clusters emerged from the analysis using Colaizzi's method: frozen mind with rigid body; shame due to restrictions of physical function and dependency; struggle to go back to the previous normal body; disabilities that are noticeable in everyday family life; rebirth by discarding the obsessions of the past. These theme clusters illustrate that although most participants faced very strange and unbearable situations in most aspects of life after the injury, they were empowered finally by finding their hope and by giving new meanings to the current existence.
CONCLUSION
This study provides deep understanding of women with spinal cord injuries who are relatively alienated from society. Based on the results of the study, health professionals could develop effective nursing interventions to improve quality of life of these women.

Keyword

Qualitative research; Spinal cord injuries; Women

MeSH Terms

Adaptation, Psychological
Adult
Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Disabled Persons
Family
Female
Humans
Interviews as Topic
Middle Aged
Qualitative Research
Quality of Life
Questionnaires
Republic of Korea
Spinal Cord Injuries/*psychology
Stress, Psychological

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Factors Influencing Quality of Life of People with Noncongenital Spinal Cord Injury
Hye Min Hwang, Myungsun Yi
Korean J Adult Nurs. 2014;26(4):444-454.    doi: 10.7469/kjan.2014.26.4.444.


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