The purposes of this qualitative descriptive study were to describe the perceptions of rural, older Appalachian women who live alone regarding systems of informal and formal care and to understand if traditional cultural norms influence attitudes and decisions to access these two systems. Older Appalachian women in this study defined themselves and their health in terms of their homes and as women who care for themselves informally and value independence and privacy. Five major themes emerged from the data for informal care, and three related to formal care or use of it. The findings support a reconceptualization of informal and formal care and point out reasons why these women chose to use or not use these two systems of care. Furthermore, they reveal how changes in the formal care system could support health promotion and prevention strategies grounded in everyday ways of maintaining health within the context of home.
The Mars Observer Laser Altimeter, developed for flight on the Mars Observer spacecraft payload in September 1992, is designed to measure the topography of the Martian surface over a 2-year period from a 400-km mapping orbit. A 40 mJ pulse diode-pumped laser together with a 0.5-m-diameter beryllium telescope and a silicon avalanche photodiode are the principal optical subassemblies of this active remote-sensing instrument. Optical design rationale and measured optical performances during assembly and integration are presented.
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