Abstract
Leisure is an essential dimension in our life. Leisure could format and maintain oneself, alleviate stress for physical and mental health, enhance interpersonal interactions, and offer opportunities for self-growth. Previous studies focused on the impacts of leisure on different lifespans. Recently, more scholars from a life course perspective have tended to examine the role of leisure and its impacts on people when they encounter life-altering events such as the onset of a severe chronic illness. The purpose of this study is to explore the leisure transition and leisure coping process of Taiwanese women with Rheumatoid Arthritis. A qualitative design with face-to-face semi-structured interviews and autobiography was applied. The study recruited 27 women with Rheumatoid Arthritis in Taiwan to join the study including the author. The interview questions focus on the changes and patterns of their leisure behaviors before and after the onset of the illness, the roles of leisure in their daily life, and what leisure means to them. A theme analysis method was applied to analyze the data. The study enhances the understanding of leisure transition and the leisure coping process. It hopes to increase public attention to the quality of life and leisure facilitation for patients with autoimmune diseases.
Presenters
Li Ju ChenAssociate Professor, Department of Tourism, Recreation, and Leisure Studies, National Dong Hwa University, Taiwan, R.O.C., Hualien, Taiwan
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2024 Special Focus—Tourism, Leisure and Change: Transforming People and Places
KEYWORDS
LEISURE TRANSITION, LEISURE COPING, TAIWANESE WOMEN, RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
