| Summary |
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of one sociocultural factor to human need fulfillment as described in Nursing's Human Need Theory. Gender was chosen as the sociocultural factor for study because gender involves not only the individual but also social relationships and social roles. A sample of men (n=18) and women (n=18) were surveyed while awaiting percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Clients awaiting PTCA were chosen because they have the same type of cardiac disease, similar symptoms, and are undergoing the same treatment. Because of these similarities, any differences in human need fulfillment can be attributed to the person, and not to the disease Subjects were surveyed about their perceived importance of human needs using the Human Needs Assessment Scale. Perceived importance was measured because international human need scholars feel that perceived importance of human needs is closely linked to human need fulfillment, and no tool was found that measured need fulfillment. Data were analyzed using a t-test for the total scale, multivariate analysis of variance of the subscales, and univariate F-test for each of the subscale items. No significant effect of gender on human need fulfillment was found on the total scale (p=.681), the subscales (p= .658), or on any individual item. Supplementary analysis of employment status and gender showed a consistent disodinal interaction across all measures, with employed women ascribing a greater importance to each measure than employed men and the reverse for unemployed women and unemployed men. The results of this study show that gender does not affect human need fulfillment as measured by perceived importance of Incidental findings suggest that the interaction of human needs. gender and employment influences human need fulfillment. These findings are limited by the small sample size, nonrandom sample selection, and lack of available tools to directly measure human need fulfillment. However, the lack of support for the influence of the major sociocultural factor of gender and the interaction of one other sociocultural factor with gender on human need fulfillment supports the need for a thorough nursing assessment of clients. Consideration of any single factor may lead to inaccurate diagnosis of client's actual or potential health problems. Future research is needed to study the interrelatedness of sociocultural factors and the contribution that each sociocultural factor makes to human need fulfillment. A more thorough understanding of the influence of these factors will aid the nurse in assisting clients toward human need fulfillment. |
