COPING BEHAVIOURS OF LOW INCOME FAMILIES WITH HEALTH RELATED PROBLEMS

Abstract

This exploratory study examines the various ways of the low income families cope with ill-health problems and also how they keep themselves healthy especially with the escalating health cost. An integrated framework based on the several theoretical orientations of health and illness behaviours, and stress theory helps to guide this study. Content analysis techniques are a.so applied in this research. Out of the ten families involved in this study, nine mothers and six fathers were interviewed. Data was obtained through the standardized open-ended interview (Patton, 1990) with the me of a semi-structured questionnaire for this qualitative study. Field observations in the subjects' home were also included. Low perceived threat and susceptibility to illness were prevalent among the subjects. In this study, strong cultural values, traditional. family beliefs and knowledge were surfaced in the coping behaviours of these respondents while dealing with their physical illness concerns and maintaining their health. Financial constraints and priorities on the children's needs were revealed too among these low income families. Differing gender roles and responsibilities in managing ill health and preventive health concerns also emerged from these parents' behaviours. Their sense of economic deprivation and dilemma in struggling with other needs relative to the presence of ill health were illustrated. External conditions such as health care system barriers and the attached stigmatized value of seeking help from various support systems invariably exacerbated the low income families' situation. Social implications of the various health and welfare policies that concerned the low income families were drawn in this study. Services recommendation with relevance to social work and suggestions made for future research were also highlighted.