THE MEANING OF DISABILITY - HOW WOMEN WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS VIEW THEIREXPERIENCES

The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine perceptions regar ding the experience of disability for 40 women with chronic illness. T he participants, all between the ages of 28 and 79, were diagnosed wit h either multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, or a combination of these disorders. They wer e interviewed concerning their beliefs as to whether they now see them selves as disabled. The majority of women did not view themselves as p ersons with disabilities despite the oftentimes immense limitations no w evident in their lives. They did report, though, that due to their o wn illness experience, their prior assumptions regarding persons with disabilities had substantially changed as the participants now felt th ey understood how persons with disabilities really feel.