Stress and Coping Strategies Among Retired People in Malaysia: A Qualitative Study

Objective: this study explored the stress and coping strategies among retired people in malaysia. methods: in-depth interviews were conducted with 36 elderly malaysian subjects. this protocol was approved by the ethics committee of the management and science university. the data obtained were sorted into various categories. results: a total number of 36 retired elderly people participated in this study. the majority of them were in the age group of 55-59 years old, females, malay and married. the majority defined stress as pressure or tension. financial difficulties, family and work problems were the main causes of stress in the majority. also, the majority of respondents mentioned that they coped with stress by sharing problems with others, by resting and relaxing, and/or by doing housework during their free time. a few of them coped with stress by hanging out with friends, going shopping, doing photography, travelling, going fishing, and doing sports. conclusion: financial difficulties, family and work problems were the main causes of stress among elderly people. they coped with stress by sharing problems with others, resting and relaxing, and/or doing housework during their free time