Health support needs of widows in South Africa : a phenomenological inquiry

Abstract

Community health care should facilitate effective adaptation to widowhood. In South Africa, the primary health-care nurses, who are the first-line health-care services, seem to miss opportunities for identifying and effectively managing widows experiencing health risks. This study explored the health-support needs of widows. We purposively selected 12 participants, who were widows between 25 and 65 years old residing in an urban area of South Africa. Data were gathered during unstructured individual phenomenological interviews and analyzed using a descriptive phenomenological method. Widowhood is an embodied and intense emotional experience with a cognitive impact. Related to these experiences are widows’ health-support needs. Widows have a need to be listened to and to be understood and cared for; attitudes and skills which require time and availability from primary health-care nurses. Widows expressed a need to engage in support groups, receive home visits, and receive health education from primary health-care nurses.