Eriksson Monica, Svedlund Marianne
Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University, Ostersund, Sweden.
J Clin Nurs. 2006 Mar;15(3):324-33. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2006.01290.x.
The aim of this study was to illuminate the meaning of middle-aged spouse's experiences of living with a chronically ill partner. A purposive sample of four female spouses was selected for interviews using a narrative approach.
When someone is diagnosed with a chronic illness, it is easy to understand that a considerable number of devastating consequences follow, both for the afflicted as well as for the family. Families often feel neglected and that their problems and needs are underestimated, if they do not personally draw attention to this fact.
A phenomenological hermeneutic method, inspired by the philosophy of Ricoeur, was used when interpreting the interview text.
The experiences of spouses living with a chronically ill partner often brought a feeling of detachment from their partner's lives. The women experienced changes in their relationships because of their partners' disabilities; they had emotions of loneliness, despite living together as a couple. Through their actions, the women sought reassurance and support in order to maintain a meaningful partnership with their spouses and this is expressed in three themes: feelings of limitation, the struggle of everyday life and a striving for normalization.
Middle-aged women living with a chronically sick partner are still of an active disposition and regard themselves as still being in mid-life. They wish to be loved as a wife and not as a care provider.
The findings from this study can help increase the knowledge and understanding of the problems and concerns encountered by middle-aged spouses living with chronically ill partners and can be useful in the education and supervision of nurses and in relationship with relatives.
本研究旨在阐明中年配偶与慢性病伴侣共同生活的经历的意义。采用叙事方法，选取了四名女性配偶作为有目的的样本进行访谈。
当某人被诊断患有慢性病时，很容易理解随之而来的是相当多的毁灭性后果，对患者本人以及家庭都是如此。如果家庭没有亲自提请注意这一事实，他们往往会感到被忽视，并且他们的问题和需求被低估。
在解释访谈文本时，采用了受利科哲学启发的现象学诠释学方法。
与慢性病伴侣共同生活的配偶的经历常常带来一种与伴侣生活脱节的感觉。这些女性因伴侣的残疾而经历了关系的变化；尽管作为夫妻共同生活，但她们仍有孤独感。通过她们的行动，这些女性寻求安心和支持，以维持与配偶有意义的关系，这体现在三个主题中：受限感、日常生活的挣扎和对正常化的追求。
与慢性病伴侣共同生活的中年女性仍然具有积极的性格，并且认为自己仍处于中年。她们希望被当作妻子来爱，而不是作为护理提供者。
本研究的结果有助于增加对与慢性病伴侣共同生活的中年配偶所遇到的问题和担忧的认识和理解，并且在护士的教育和监督以及与亲属的关系方面可能会有所帮助。
