This study qualitatively analyzed the lives of urban elderly females relating health from a phenomenological perspectives in order to provide useful information for further quantitative research and policy-making. The participants of this study were 10 urban elderly females living alone in Seoul; and snowball sampling, a non-probability sampling technique was used for sampling. Their age ranged from 73 to 93, and durations of living alone varied from 4 to 40 years. Data gathered from narrative interviews were analyzed with techniques based on phenomenological strategies and procedures. Results revealed that urban elderly females living alone lacked in trust in contemporary medical services and were at risk due to their perception of chronic diseases. Almost half of all participants had experienced a decline in memory, and has increased symptoms of anxiety and depression related to their children. Although they enjoyed eating convenience foods and failed to eat reduced salt diets, they still tried to consider their health and nutrition when choosing foods. Self-support labor as well as holding a job helped to increase their physical activities, while urinary incontinence and living environments disturbed their sleeps. They frequently contacted friends in their community welfare centers, senior citizen centers, or church because they found it difficult to easily contact their offsprings. Many stated that self-disclosing information to their friends led big trouble, so they suppressed their negative feelings and thoughts, They also stated that the regrets they made in their past and the thoughts they had about them often threatened their mental health. Many of the women resented their husbands or immediate family members, such as brothers and sisters, while they were grateful for being financially assisted by government program or their circumstances in senescence. They practiced what they perceived would improve their health, but spent unnecessary money for health care products.
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