Cardiac disease is the number one killer of Canadian women. Therapy is highly time-dependent, yet treatment-seeking delay persists. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to explore how women seeking treatment for the symptoms of potential cardiac illness interpreted their symptoms, made decisions about seeking treatment, and understood experiences of care in the emergency department. Data were drawn from 100 hours of naturalistic observation, in-depth interviews with 16 women who visited one of two urban emergency departments between June 2005 and June 2006, and three interviews with nurses. The basic social psychological process of maintaining integrity was identified, encompassing three distinct phases: “resisting disruption,” “suspending agency,” and “integrating experiences and knowledge.” The findings suggest that in the face of a threat to life, women are first and foremost striving to maintain both the integrity of their sense of self and their ability to carry out role responsibilities.
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