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Article: The meaning of disability: how women with chronic illness view their experiences.
- Article from:
- The Journal of Rehabilitation
- Article date:
- July 1, 1998
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1998 National Rehabilitation Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Learning one has a chronic health condition is a pivotal event in an individual's life. According to Kleinman (1988), the integrity of our bodies is so central to our belief systems that it is often assumed that "...chronic illness is a betrayal of that fundamental trust" (p.45). Charmaz (1995) notes that convictions regarding one's own identity become shaken following diagnosis with chronic illness, frequently altering both self-perceptions and self-concept. In addition, individuals face powerful emotional issues related to chronicity and acceptance of a new lifestyle that may be radically different from the one planned or hoped for prior to diagnosis (Gordon & ...