We examine the life stories of 107 low‐income older adults to assess critical points in which to intervene and potentially prevent senior food insecurity. Participants were recruited from various social service agencies throughout Dallas county. They were asked about life experiences, food insecurity, economic hardships, and health challenges. We utilized qualitative (thematic and content) and quantitative (bivariate and multiple regression) analyses. Our data suggest that vulnerable seniors often experience multiple hardships simultaneously, which play off one another and create tradeoffs. These hardships sometimes pose barriers to receiving assistance. Prior experiences of hardship also modify expectations of hardships in older adulthood.
Older adults are at greater risk of COVID-19 related mortality and health complications (CDC 2021); and the economic consequences of the pandemic have disproportionately fallen on lower-income groups (Parker, Minkin, and Bennett 2020). These combine to create unique circumstances for older adults with few financial
Purpose
There is currently scant research exploring Indigenous Guatemalan women’s experiences of gender-based violence and mental health outcomes, but existing research suggests further exploration in this area is necessary. The current study aimed to address this gap by analyzing the experiences with violence and subsequent well-being of Indigenous Maya women in rural Guatemala.
Methods
Data were collected in an ethnographic project on mental health in Panajachel, Guatemala, consisting of a cross-sectional survey on violence exposure and mental health history, followed by semi-structured interviews to elaborate on the experiences. Interviews with seven Kaqchikel Maya women who had been exposed to violence provided the qualitative basis for this study, supplemented by the survey results. Descriptive statistics of survey results and thematic analysis of interviews are presented.
Results
The survey results pointed to a deep relationship between violence victimization and mental health issues. Recurring themes in the interviews included symptoms of post-violence emotional distress including fear, sadness, physical ailments, and suicidal ideation; the role of the women as mothers; lack of legal and mental health support; and the importance of spirituality and religion.
Conclusions
These results highlight the importance of examining emotional distress as separate from diagnostic psychiatric disorders in addressing women’s mental health post-violence. This exploratory study provides examples of violence exposure, mental health, and resource availability among Guatemalan Maya women and suggests possibilities for future investigation.
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