Illness Perception and Coping Among African American Women with Lupus - Alternative Medicine and Cultural Competence

This study examines illness perception and coping strategies of African Americanwomen that have been diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE). Lupus is three times more likely to affect African Americans than cauciasnwomen and African American women tend to have a more severe caseof the disease. The study identifies concepts and relationships relevant to theexperience for African American women diagnosed with lupus and determinedhow illness perception and coping influence their adaptation to thedisease. The methodology used was a qualitative analysis of open-ended interviewswith four African American women with lupus. Two hypotheseswere posed in the study. The first hypothesis was that African American womenwith chronic illness uses emotion focused coping strategies to copewith their illness. The second hypothesis was that the beliefs and perceptionsof African American women about their disease determine how they will copewith their illness.Based on the hypothesis four major themes emerged from the results of theinterviews adaptation/spiruality centrality of family/medical mistrust and religion/beliefs. These themes were the major factors which influence the participants'perception about their illness. The study examined the possibility thatbelief and coping styles can affect both physical health and psychologicalwell-being in African American women with lupus. This book informs thework of health care providers doctors nurses psychologist and counselors.In addition to the work of sociologist anthropologist and clergy.