Hi,
The paper by Charmaz though quite old, is very interesting and leaves one with the glimpse of the experience of the chronic ill persons. Chronic illnesses introduce patients to a new world of the sick with a regrettable and irretrievable previous normal self. I have encountered few chronic ill patients and on a flash back, I could relate their experience with Charmaz's four icon of experience though not exactly because of cultural difference with the emphatic American culture in Charmaz paper.The video clip on the RA however showed a high level of relativism with Charmaz's point.
His four icons of chronic illness experience which includes:
i. Self concern about his new life and the irritrievable past.
ii.Lack of value and autodefinition of self leading to the dependence on others for self definition.
ii.Redundant social life style and
iv.Incapacitation and inability to work and earn a living.
The four icons may be argued on the basis of his narrow converage of the experience of other chronic ill patients outside America. He did not factor in the possible role culture (tells us more about the community and family (Extended/Nuclear) values and belief of the patients) can play in modifying patients experience. It had been found by Nora Ellen that culture is a big tool for decribing the perception and treatment a chronic ill patients may have from the people around him, this may go a long way in determining if the patient will really pass through the four icon of experience pointed out by Charmez.
Nora argued by pointing out that:
- Traditional beliefs about the cause of chronic illness or disability will play a significant role in determining family and community attitudes toward individuals with a chronic illness and will influence when, how, and why medical input is sought. This may however make him to percieve himself as being valued and not dejected and abandoned.
- The expectation of survival on the part of parents and community will have an effect on the amount of time, energy, and cooperation shown by family and community for the individual who has an impairment.
- The expectations by family and community for the social role(s) an individual with a chronic illness or disability will hold will affect a broad range of issues, including education, social integration, and independence as such putting away in some context the argument by Charmez on redundant social life.
In checking out, the power of the extendend family relationship in certain cultures could play a great role in masking the above icon of the chronic illness experience.You can read more on Nora's Publication here. http://www.ntac.hawaii.edu/AAPIcourse/downloads/readings/pdf/Multiculturalism.pdf
Cheers!
